Always In My Heart
by Bianka-chan
Summary: He left her behind. She waited. He came back. She cried. He took her for granted, but she understood. She knew her place was not by his side...but in his heart. After all, we don't always get a second chance. CloudTifa. Nominated for Best Tragedy award!
1. Etched Into The Sky

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII. If I did, Cloud and Tifa would be the official pairing (not that there is one...)! For now, though, we have to write fanfiction.****  
**

**A/N: This story is kind of AU. The same things happened in the game, except I've set the time back a couple of years (Yuffie's age is the same, though). Cloud is 18, Tifa is 17, Yuffie is 16, and so on. The characters have been placed into high school, making this for a somewhat contemporary piece. Please note that this is set **_**before**_** Advent Children. **

**A HUGE THANK YOU goes to Bruna Lopes for reading through my entire outline before I even began writing the chapters out. She volunteered a bunch of her time and kindness in doing so. For that, I'm eternally grateful. You are awesome :)**

**To Bruna Lopes again, Ash Ai, and Angelprinczess: you all are great inspiration. :D **

_**"...a star falls. An angel may rise, but a star will fall, soaring down and away from the familiar. Though we reach for it, tracing it with our eyes, it masterfully descends, unaffected by wishes made upon it."**_

Always In My Heart

**Chapter One:**

Etched Into The Sky

**Bianka-chan**

**T**here he stood, his beautiful blond hair standing at all ends. His eyes shined like sapphires in the night, staring right at her. She could feel her cheeks turn red with girlish excitement. Somehow, she wished she could make time stop, just so she could relish in the moment of being his center of attention instead of focusing on playing dodgeball.

Suddenly, his eyes got big, and he stood higher on his feet. Noting the surprised look on his face, she began to turn and look as well. But it seemed as if she was already too late.

"Watch out!" a fellow classmate across the gym warned as an overly-competitive player threw a high-speed ball right for her face.

And the red ball slammed hard off of her nose and bounced far, far away, just enough that she couldn't kick it for revenge. She smiled and laughed, though, trying hard to play off her embarrassment by appearing amused. So, she looked back over to her handsome classmate, hoping to find compassion in his gorgeous eyes, but he wasn't even there. She looked around in each direction to no avail.

Meanwhile, every other person in the gym was laughing hysterically at the sound the ball made when it smashed into her now red face. Acknowledging defeat, she began walking off the gym floor. However, everyone knew that they could not attack her without fear of their life, or at least their faces. And she kicked the ball as hard as she could toward the laughing face of her assailant.

Needless to say, he didn't try to hit her unexpectedly again. He was down and out for the count. She took a courteous bow and headed for the bleachers in victorious defeat.

-- --

She met up with her friend Yuffie after class. Yuffie was still trying to get her arms into her shirt sleeves when she approached her, her hair wet from a quick shower. Yuffie stopped mid-way to offer her a kind smile and began talking despite her awkward position.

"Hey, toots. Nice kick today, huh? Just to let you know, I wasn't laughing. I pelted Reno with dodge balls while he was unconscious, didn't you see?"

Distracted by her mental image of the beautiful stranger she saw earlier, she found herself unable to concentrate on Yuffie's words. The high school senior stared blankly forward, appearing focused on her locker. _Is he...who I think he is? _she wondered, the familiar blush crossing her cheeks yet again.

"_Hello_!? Are you listening to me, Tifa?"

"Y-yeah," the brunette replied, her voice dreamlike.

"Then what was the last thing I said, hmm?"

Tifa thought back to what Yuffie typically talked about. "Something about Vincent...right...?" Tifa was as unsure of her answer as she was her grade point average. Her hopes were bleak.

Yuffie stuck an arm out of her shirt sleeve, pulling her shirt down with her other hand. She shook her head in disappointment. "No, no, noo! That was last week. There's a _new_new kid this week! You know what the best part is?"

Tifa clearly didn't know what the best part was. It was odd but characteristically Yuffie to expect her to know. "No. What?"

"You know him. We all know him."

_There are plenty of people that "we" all know_, Tifa thought. Yuffie's enthusiasm still managed to maintain Tifa's curiosity, however. "Oh, really?" Tifa half-droned. "And who might he be?"

Yuffie closed her locker loudly, garnering attention from the changing females around her. Picking up her gym bag, Yuffie winked at Tifa playfully.

"Come on, Tifa. I saw you _gawking_ at him, you big goober."

Tifa retrieved her shoes from her locker, shutting it as she dropped her shoes to the floor. "You mean...?"

Yuffie nodded, sensing Tifa's growing excitement. "Uh-huh! Cloud's back!"

-- --

Two years before, the world had been saved from Sephiroth and Meteor's wrath.

Two years before, Aeris had died.

Two years before, Cloud left, leaving Tifa to live alone.

Though Cloud and Tifa were young, they were orphans. Tifa lived from paycheck to paycheck, though the paychecks weren't earned by Tifa herself. Her old teacher, Zangan, dropped checks by every two weeks or so, having taken blame for her father's death. The money he earned as a newly famous teacher helped Tifa pay off an entire house, the electric bill, the gas bill, the water bill, and furniture. The money she earned on the side from working at her restaurant helped her pay for toiletries, food, and simple luxuries.

Cloud, however, took blame for something else: Aeris' death. Though he had never promised her safety, he felt inadequate after her untimely death. He knew that she had been the girlfriend of a dear friend of his, and so he felt doubly guilty for being present when she was killed. He had nearly done the deed himself; just realizing that brings him to his knees in regret.

Thereafter, Cloud sunk into a period of grief. His depression led him to strain contact with others and spend his time wrapped up in his thoughts.

Cloud's change affected Tifa greatly. Her once lively crimson eyes often fell to the ground, its gaze focusing on nothing in particular. She knew that he ached inside for having lost a member of their group, but Tifa had become convinced that she had lost first place in his heart. Her fears were reinstated by his quiet demeanor and the fact that he didn't approach her at all, despite having recognized her in the gym.

Shrugging it off, Cloud went about his life, living it the way he saw fit. Though he knew he hurt others by his actions, he found it impossible to backtrack enough in his life to fix everything he had long since broken. Hearts, spirits, and smiles alike...Cloud had thoughtlessly shattered them. But did he care? Hardly enough to mention. At least for now. Soon, though, Cloud would be drowned in regret. However, as life always manages, his epiphany would come...just a little too late.

As for the beautiful brunette fighter, we all know her heart could never go on. Like a fairy tale, once love struck it was forever. Like tragedy, her smile faded with sadness, but her eyes remained open and alive...if only just for him.

This is a tale of love, regret, and learning. Lives are etched into the sky in constellations of youth and age, each bright star reflecting a beautiful experience. But when lives are tragically affected by uncontrollable issues...a star falls. An angel may rise, but a star will fall, soaring down and away from the familiar. Though we reach for it, tracing it with our eyes, it masterfully descends, unaffected by wishes made upon it.

_You'll never know_

_How much it kills me_

_To see you suffering_

_Because I never had the courage_

_To tell you what I felt deep inside._

_-- _

_Now that it's too late,_

_The words come pouring out._

_My sobbing,_

_It echoes like rain,_

_But you'll never know._

_-- _

_In this beautiful place,_

_My eyes, back and forth, dart._

_Sadly, I know you're no longer here..._

_But you'll always be in my heart._

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading. This is my very first venture in the Final Fantasy VII category, so I hope I didn't disappoint anyone. In order to keep my morale high, though, I plead that you leave me some love and review! If I don't feel confident about my FFVII writing skills, I may still yet switch this story to another category. **

**Again, leave me some love and review, please :) I value and respect all of your individual opinions, both negative and positive. Have a great day!**

**Bianka-chan.**


	2. One Beautiful, Fleeting Moment

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII. **

**A/N: Thank you so much to all who reviewed! The Final Fantasy VII fanfiction fanbase is so welcoming :) **

_**Italics**_** mean thought. I really hope this chapter isn't boring to you...but I didn't want it to be short, and I needed to get some boring stuff described before moving on. Read this the whole way through, please. Some witty lines are kind of hidden within:) A cookie goes to anyone who finds them. **

**Partly inspired by the World Cup. (Gotta love it :). **

_**"Cloud went down to his knees beside Tifa, lifting her upper-body into his arms. **_

_**'Tifa!' he desperately called. 'Tifa!'" **_

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Two: **

One Beautiful, Fleeting Moment

**Bianka-chan**

**T**ifa Lockhart gazed down at the books she held so tightly to her chest. First period had gone by, leaving her mind to think on and on about a certain chocobo-headed sword-wielder. She walked quietly down the hallway, looking up only to smile at those she recognized. After the Meteor incident, Tifa had managed to maintain somewhat of a low profile. She waved off any compliments, claiming that her role in the battle against Sephiroth was minor compared to the efforts of her comrades. That's what everyone loved about her. Well, that's what most people loved and noticed her for. There were still few--the few that mattered--that chose to tread their muddy feet on her spirit.

Cloud Strife's image came to her mind at that thought. Before she knew it, a male body collided with hers, throwing her off balance. Not wanting to drop her books, Tifa hugged the texts close to her body and shut her eyes tight and braced herself for the fall.

A hand squeezed her arm, forcing her back on her feet and then some. The strength of the obviously masculine hand thrust her even faster on her way to her classroom, her feet moving with a speed not her own. Regaining control of her lower body, Tifa looked behind her.

Cloud Strife, briskly walking in the opposite direction, never bothered to look her in the face.

Was it guilt? He wasn't even sure. As long as he could see her, he didn't want to watch her fall.

"Tifa!"

Tifa imagined Cloud calling out her name, a smile curving up his lips.

Unfortunately, Yuffie's high-pitched voice replaced her fantasy.

"Huh?" Tifa murmured, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

"Do you have math this period?" the junior questioned.

"Yeah, actually. Do you?"

"Sure do! C'mon in! Mi casa es su casa!" Yuffie practically bounced out of the classroom just to welcome Tifa into her Trigonometry class. Though no such entrance was to be celebrated, the young ninja was one to make a party out of anything.

On top of that, her Spanish accent was horrible. Just an observation.

Tifa, ever the dreamer, looked toward the open window the entire period. With an exhale, she noted that she did not share the class with Cloud. She wondered if he would even notice her presence if they did have the class together.

Probably not. But it was worth hoping for.

Too many math problems and a giant homework packet later, Tifa and Yuffie said their temporary goodbyes, each heading off to their respective third periods. Tifa's shoulders hunched and her feet dragged on her way to her least favorite class, Anatomy.

Honestly, if Tifa were to have sex, she'd know all she ever wanted to know on the subject of Anatomy. Unfortunately, graduating high school wasn't as easy as going at it with someone, so Tifa had to force herself to not skip this class every day. Tifa was a bright girl, but sometimes she just wasn't willing when it came to certain things. Science was just one of those things.

Fourth period, Tifa heaved a sigh of relief. Lunch.

Her relief would soon be replaced with anticipation.

As Tifa sat down with her friends from the old group, she spotted Cloud seated at the water fountain. He crossed his legs, a lunch tray on his lap. The water fountain sprayed water in tiny droplets around him, the occasional drizzle sliding down his hair. And for the first time since the dodgeball incident...their eyes met.

For one beautiful, fleeting moment their eyes were locked. No one else's presence in the lunch room mattered. An ex-SOLDIER and a martial artist gazed intently into each other's eyes, each craving the other's company but neither courageous enough to approach the other.

Cloud looked away first, but Tifa wasn't far behind him in doing so. She was saddened by his choice not to sit with her or their friends from the Meteor days. Instead of going up and asking him about it, though, Tifa ignored it. _"Am I…a bother to him?" _she whispered to herself.She was beginning to get irritated.

Catching Vincent's gaze, Tifa faked a smile. Vincent, Yuffie, Barrett, Cid, and Tifa continued along with their normal lunch conversation, like Cloud was never there.

He never was, anyway.

-- --

The last period of the day, Cloud and Tifa found themselves sitting at opposite ends of the classroom. Tifa was practically burning a hole into the back of his head. By this time, her heart begged to talk to him again, but her brain stopped her from doing anything rash or regrettable. Their teacher, Ms. Elena, started the class by slamming a ruler onto Cloud's desk.

"Good afternoon!" Ms. Elena exclaimed, startling her students.

"Good afternoon!" the majority of the class replied.

"I will be your Contemporary History teacher. We will learn about Gaia's history starting from about one hundred and fifty years past to just two years ago. Speaking of which, Mr. Strife and Ms. Lockhart, please stand up!"

Tifa was trembling so much that she had to use her arms to stand up out of her seat. Cloud, on the other hand, quickly stood. His eyes remained downcast, and his face showed no reaction to the attention suddenly placed on him.

"Class, these two are a part of history! Just two years before, they defeated Sephiroth and stopped Meteor from falling. We'll have to ask them to share their experiences later."

An excited student at the front of the classroom raised his hand, though he didn't wait until he was called on to speak. "And they foiled Shinra, too, right?"

Ms. Elena's smile flattened out. She glared at the student, her fist clenched. "Y-yes. Silly me...to forget!"

The history teacher/ex-Turk smiled at the excited student, pointing the ruler at his face. "Now, Johnny, what's your least favorite sport?"

"Soccer! I hate it! All they ever do is kick a ball around--"

"Let's go play soccer!" Ms. Elena interjected, dropping the ruler onto Johnny's desk.

The rest of the class hurried out of the classroom, leaving Cloud and Tifa behind. Tifa, sensing an opportunity, rushed up to the front of the room to try and catch up to Cloud. Noticing this, he took advantage of the distance between the two of them and made a quick exit.

Disappointed, Tifa dropped her gaze once again to the floor.

-- --

"Captain of the Red team, Captain of the Blue team, come up to the middle circle!"

Tifa and Cloud stood in the middle of the soccer field, staring at Ms. Elena. She had been picking on them, and that was certain.

"Red team captain, pick heads or tails while it's in the air."

Ms. Elena flipped the coin up into the air. It made a slow arc in the air, switching faces by the second.

"Tails!" Tifa shouted, too excited to control the tone of her voice.

Tails it was.

Ms. Elena glanced at Tifa, waiting for the brunette to decide if her team was to get the ball first or Cloud's.

"You, I mean, the Blue team can go first..." Tifa stammered, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. She really was speaking to no one in particular.

Cloud ran off from the middle circle and toward the goalie box. Tifa stared on as he ran, her hair swaying in the opposite direction of his jog.

The ball began rolling. Tifa, as the center player, chased after it with deadly intentions. She had to get her anger out somehow, right?

As expected, no one else in the class was a match for her. Dribbling the ball with her feet, Tifa easily made her way through enemy territory and toward their goal.

Cloud Strife's glowing eyes glared at her. Tifa was startled for a moment, hurt by his cold stare. She kicked the ball anyway, sending it flying off toward the net. Her hero, her Cloud, slapped the ball away from getting in a goal. The ever competitive Tifa, ignoring the feeling in her heart, ran forward still, craving the goal he took away.

Cloud lunged forward, kicking the ball as hard as he could. Tifa threw herself onto the ground. If she hadn't moved, the ball would have hit her directly in the face. Though such a thing typically happened to poor Tifa's face, she never expected it from Cloud.

Furrowing her eyebrows in emotional pain, Tifa slowly lifted herself from the ground. Running back in an attempt to get the ball again, her eyes watered.

-- --

They were deep into the second period of the game, and still neither side was winning. Every player had to admit, though, that Tifa was playing exceptionally. She seemed to hit the ball harder and harder each time Cloud Strife sent it away from the goalie box. Her eyes fired up, while her heart steadily became cold as ice.

The school's soccer ace was playing on the Blue team, but he still stood no match for the brunette heroine. Angry and embarrassed, he decided to take the game up a notch. Running after her, the sharp cleats on the bottom of his shoes kicked up the grass in his path.

Meanwhile, Tifa passed the ball to a fellow classmate, wiping the sweat off her brow. Yet again, the Red team was approaching the Blue team's goal. Jake, the soccer ace, decided in that moment to change that.

As Tifa was passed the ball yet again, Jake ran up to guard her. Noticing his aggression, she tried to pass the ball to someone else. Before she could do so, Jake had apparently had enough of her. Raising his leg much farther up than rules allowed, Jake kicked Tifa directly on the stomach.

Having lost his balance, Jake began to fall on top of Tifa, his leg still raised. The two landed but not without damage. Jake stood, complaining of a sprained ankle, but Tifa's still form proved something more serious. His weight, in combination with the force he had exerted, brought her head to the ground first. In addition, his cleats had managed to scrape through her shirt and into her skin; he had cut her face as he lifted himself onto his feet once more, as well.

A crowd immediately formed around her.

"Tifa's hurt!" one called, attempting to stir the attention of Ms. Elena.

Instead, the words hit Cloud Strife like a lightning bolt. He ran out of the goalie box and toward the crowd of his fellow students. Breaking through the crowd violently, Cloud was struck still at the sight of Tifa on the floor. Her bangs covered part of her face, but they did not hide the streaks of blood along the side of her cheek from the cleats. A number of slightly bloody holes were apparent in her shirt, too.

Cloud went down to his knees beside Tifa, lifting her upper-body into his arms.

"Tifa!" he desperately called. "Tifa!"

No such luck. Tifa remained unconscious in his arms.

The outside bell rang, signifying the end of the school day. The crowd scattered, heading home or out with their friends. Not even Jake stayed to question Tifa's well-being.

And through the breaking of the crowd, Cloud was seen carrying the unconscious Tifa bridal-style toward the parking lot.

_You loved me so much, so much_

_That love exhausted you._

_But I kept on moving farther away,_

_Increasing your pain._

_--_

_And you loved me without measure_

_With insanity and passion._

_While the more you loved me,_

_The more I ignored you._

* * *

**A/N: I translated the italicized part from Spanish to English, which explains why it doesn't rhyme. I still think it's beautiful, though! And very Cloud/Tifa, if you ask me! Hope you liked this chapter! As always, **_**please review! **_**It only takes a couple of seconds!**

_Silencio_ by_ Cristian Castro_ (Silence) does _not_ belong to me. I translated the song from Spanish to English, possibly leaving some awkwardness in the phrasings. Though I changed some words to better suit the English language, I still credit Cristian for having inspired me :)

**Johnny—remember that kid from around the Seventh Heaven in the game? He liked Tifa a lot. Elena is in there as the History teacher, too. Notice the Shinra crack? Turks will kind of be put in this story here and there, mostly because I don't much like OCs. **

'**Til next time! Don't forget to review!**

**Bianka-chan.**


	3. Wanting The Impossible

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII.**

**A/N: Woo, up to twenty reviews! I'm so happy! However, I must humbly ask that you don't "hit-and-run." That is, to say, please don't just read it and leave. I really need to know what you think about my story. To those of you who have been staying with me these past two chapters, THANK YOU SO MUCH! **

**There is a minor change to note in this chapter. Cloud and Tifa never made their promise back before he left for SOLDIER. Dramatic irony, anyone? Hehe :)**

_**"Tifa brought her knee to her chest, holding it there with both hands. Cloud, on the other hand, placed his weight comfortably on her back and allowed himself to stretch his legs off the edge of the well. Both Cloud and Tifa looked up at the stars, hoping to find a falling star to wish upon..."**_

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Three:**

Wanting the Impossible

**Bianka-chan**

**I**n the back of Yuffie's car, Tifa Lockhart stirred. Opening her eyes, Tifa absorbed her surroundings. Wine-colored velvet interior, stained carpeting, and coins stuck to the seats...Tifa knew immediately where she was: Yuffie's car. As Yuffie opened the driver's door, Tifa pretended to still be unconscious. The ninja behind the wheel turned to look at her brunette friend, whistling.

"Wow, Tifa. You sure do have good friends."

_**Flashback**_

_Cloud Strife walked slowly through the middle of the breaking crowd, his strides long. Tifa's limbs, so carefully carried in her hero's arms, swayed back and forth with his every step. Her hair, disheveled, bounced as well, cascading down his arms. Cloud did not dare look down at her face, fearing the anger that boiled inside each time he saw the cuts across her cheek._

_But he did notice that her lips were slightly apart from each other. It was also a sight that he wanted to avoid, but for other even scarier reasons._

_He didn't say a word, though, his mind overcome by his thoughts. He wasn't sure _what_ to think without coming to an irreversible truth._

_He had been wrong. _

_Of course, he wouldn't admit such a thing, but it stayed in the back of his mind. Just for her, he kept it there._

_Cloud spotted a familiar short-haired brunette in the distance, talking away with Vincent and Reno. As the three of them saw Cloud come into view, their conversation dropped. Tifa, their kind-hearted Tifa, was unconscious and being carried by Cloud. What could they have thought but the worst? _

_Though they bombarded him with questions, the blond ignored them all. He opened the backseat door to Yuffie's car with his lifted foot, careful not to lose balance and drop Tifa. Gently, Cloud placed his childhood friend across the seat. _

_He nodded in a pleading way toward the ninja before walking away, uttering not a single word. _

_**End Flashback**_

**-- --**

A silent twenty minutes later, Yuffie attempted to drag Tifa out of her car and into her house. "Waking" from her pretend sleep, Tifa sat up and rubbed her eyes. Yuffie in front of her appeared exasperated from trying to drag her friend alone. Smiling, the martial artist stretched.

"Thanks, Yuffie. What's the occasion?"

Tifa's head was pounding, her memory a broken mess.

"What do you mean, '_what's the occasion'? _You were out cold! What didja want me to do--tie you to the back of someone's car and hope for the best?"

"Is that so?" Tifa laughed at Yuffie's reasoning. "Well, then how'd I get here? You can't even support your own weight, much less mine."

"Cloud brought you to me."

Tifa's head perked up.

"Huh?"

"Cloud brought you here!"

Tifa, unbelieving, stared at Yuffie with wide eyes.

"_Who_?"

"CLOUD!"

"Oh."

The long-haired brunette stared down at her lap, twiddling her fingers. She wanted to smile that he had saved her, that he had carried her, and that he had worried abut her. Instead, she wondered why he wasn't there beside her. His attempts always seemed to fall short of her fantasies.

"Well, thanks again, Yuffie!" Tifa exclaimed, pasting a fake smile on her face.

"No problem, Tifa..." Yuffie spoke slowly, not falling for her cheerfulness.

Tifa walked away anyway, half-carrying, half-dragging her book bag. She entered her house/restaurant, shutting the door behind her. From the window, the neighborhood could see Tifa collapse onto her couch and bury her face in her hands.

From outside, Yuffie stared on. She worried...but not a lot.

But not enough.

-- --

Getting up from the couch, a rather exhausted Tifa lifted her book bag onto her shoulder. She made her way around the rosewood table, evading the wine-colored loveseat near it. She had dark hardwood flooring, making it easy to clean not only for her sake but for the tidiness of her restaurant. Tripping over a pair of misplaced shoes, Tifa continued on her way upstairs and to her room.

Kicking the door open, Tifa hurled her abused book bag onto her bed. Her room did little to reflect her mood at the time. Her bed's sheets were a display of red, gold, and pink. Her curtains were a solid pink, a childish touch that brought sunlight into the room. Her dresser, outlined in gold but mainly white, boasted a large mirror. This mirror was one that Tifa often sat in front of, primping herself up for a man that never cared.

Or at least he didn't show it.

After changing her clothes, Tifa shut the door, not bothering to look at herself in the mirror. Heading downstairs, she again rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She would have to open the restaurant soon, which meant that her homework would have to wait until later. At least, if she was going to do it at all.

As she stepped down the stairs, Tifa's crimson pair of eyes froze.

Cloud Strife had nonchalantly entered her--no, _their_--house, dropping his keys onto the nearby coffee table. He briefly stared up at the frozen Tifa, his face doing nothing to betray his stoic manner. When he stared back down at his busy hands, Tifa's eyes flickered with life once again.

What was he doing there? Tifa wondered why she couldn't find words to speak. Cloud wondered how she was doing, but he didn't show it. Words escaped him, as well.

Tifa pondered about what she should do. Continuing her descent on the stairs, Tifa's hand went to touch the railing. Without it, she may very well have fallen. She hastened her pace.

When her feet touched the floor, Tifa quickened to brisk walk. Cloud still stayed where he was, watching her from the corner of his eye. He worried about what she was about to do.

She began to run towards him.

Cloud, afraid yet wild with anticipation, dropped a card to the floor.

She still ran, quickly closing the gap between them. Her arms outstretched, the tiredness in Tifa's eyes was fading away.

Noticing the fallen card, Cloud bent down to pick it up.

Tifa's arms fell to her side, her heart torn that he had bent out of her embrace. Not willing to showcase her disappointment, Tifa summoned the courage to at last speak to him again.

"Welcome home, Cloud."

Cloud's blush was hidden well by his hair. Ignoring the card, Cloud started to slowly bend upwards to a straight stance once again. In doing so, he was met full force with the astounding features of his childhood friend.

Her tiny feet stood covered in heeled flip-flops, the tiny nails on her toes painted with silver polish and spotted with pink flowers. Cloud's eyes widened at the sight of her legs. They weren't thin like other girls; instead, they were toned and curvy. His eyes traced up to her short blue dress. Though a halter dress, it came off as wholesome and young. Its bright tone did wonders to her eyes.

Tifa's neck was adorned with jewelry that Cloud recognized as her late mother's. Her silver teardrop earrings dangled a couple of inches above her shoulders. Gulping, Cloud kept his eyes open as he straightened his back once and for all.

Then, finally, he saw her face-to-face. She was biting her lips in nervousness, her cheeks pink and her eyes expectant. More than ever, Cloud struggled with words.

Two years had done her well, he observed. His heart pounded. Of course, she was always beautiful, but this was just unfair.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything, Cloud."

Still watching her intently, Cloud saw her sight fall.

"I mean...I've gone two years without hearing a peep from you, so I'm used to it..."

He dropped his gaze, too, as he watched her play with her fingers.

"So...did you find yourself out there?"

When Cloud didn't respond, she laughed. Cloud reveled in the sound.

"Listen to me, asking you questions... even though I know you won't answer me."

Tifa swallowed hard, watching him as he watched her.

"I don't see why you should... I--I never...I never saved the world..."

Cloud's head jerked up to stare at her in the eyes. His attempt failed, though, as his gaze fell on her quivering bottom lip.

"...like she did."

His concern melted. Giving his back to Tifa, he grabbed his keys and reached for the doorknob. He said his first words to her in two years.

"Good-bye, Tifa."

Cloud slammed the door behind him, leaving the card he had bent down for earlier. Tifa looked down to the floor, finding it there. Squinting, she read it.

_"I'm sorry." _

-- --

Having immediately regretted her words, Tifa bolted out of the house to chase him. She caught up to him at the well. It stood tall in the middle of the town, reflecting the stars above. Tifa loved to sit atop of the well, day dreaming about what could be but never was.

"I'm sorry."

Cloud nodded.

So the two sat on top of the well, leaning their backs against each other's. Tifa brought her knee to her chest, holding it there with both hands. Cloud, on the other hand, placed his weight comfortably on her back and allowed himself to stretch his legs off the edge of the well. Both Cloud and Tifa looked up at the stars, hoping to find a falling star to wish upon...

"It's been a long time...Cloud."

Cloud sneaked a peak at Tifa over his shoulder. She was doing the same but on the opposite side of him. Noticing this, Tifa laughed again. It was music to Cloud's ears.

"So, what took you so long?" Tifa asked, turning back to look up at the stars.

"Traffic."

Tifa smiled at his joke. Cloud even smirked despite himself.

"It's okay, you know? You don't have to tell me the real reason. What matters is that you're here now, right?"

Cloud's smirk vanished as she spoke. Guilt wasn't quite gripping at his conscience, but concern was brimming anew.

"I'll forgive you for leaving..."

Cloud leaned forward, his head coming off of hers.

"...if you make me a promise."

Tifa turned slightly to get a full glimpse of her childhood friend. He turned a little, too, his eyes falling to look at her hands.

"Promise me...that you'll come to me whenever I'm in a pinch."

"What...?"

Cloud was astonished. How could she be asking such a thing, knowing his guilt over Aeris' death?

"I know it sounds silly...but I've always wanted to experience that once. My knight in shining armor will come and rescue me--"

"--You know I can't do that."

"Wh-what?" Hurt was apparent in her voice.

"I can't protect anyone."

He saved the whole world, yet one failure haunted him more than any of his successes.

"How can you even ask that, Tifa? I can't, and you know it."

Her eyes watered. For the first time, she didn't try to hide her pain from him.

"I just...I just wanted--"

"We all want the impossible."

Her pent-up words were replaced by long-retained tears.

"Besides, you can take care of yourself."

Standing up, he jumped. Tifa's silent tears turned into quiet sobbing. She heard Cloud land on the ground far below, his sword jingling as his feet met the ground.

If only he knew how wrong he was.

_Without knowing where to go,_

_The rain clothed me on that gray day._

_Time made fun of me,_

_Imagining myself without your love._

_-- _

_Without your love,_

_Illusions of my life leave._

_Without your love,_

_There is nothing else_

_But pain--such bad wounds._

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! REVIEW, please! Means so much to me and makes updates faster :)**

_Sin Tu Amor _by_ Cristian Castro__ (Without Your Love) _does_ not_ belong to me. I translated the song from Spanish to English, possibly leaving some awkwardness in the phrasings. Though I changed some words to better suit the English language, I still credit Cristian for having inspired me :)

**Review! 7/14/06**


	4. Message Between The Lines

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII.**

**A/N: At last, the plot starts to show! Sorry for taking so long to come out with it, but that's what happens when you try to write a long story! Hope you like it:)**

**_"Her eyes were open, but she was motionless. One arm was stretched forward, reaching for something that wasn't there. Could it have been _him_ that she reached for, after all this time?"_**

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Four:**

Message Between The Lines

**Bianka-chan**

**T**hree weeks had passed since Cloud left Tifa crying at the well. Neither of them spoke to the other, but their eyes often met. During gym, when the class went off to play basketball, Cloud and Tifa often found themselves watching each other's moves.

Tifa was quick but elegant as she ran across the court. Cloud could've written a book on the way she moved.

Cloud, on the other hand, took long strides, and often sprinted unguarded around the court. No one wanted to be fouled by him.

When the class period ended, the blonde and brunette looked into each other's eyes for a swift moment before moving on with their lives.

During Anatomy, Tifa doodled. She was even caught red-handed as the teacher held a poorly-drawn picture suspended in the air. Though she was sent to stand outside in the hallway, it was worth it. Unfortunately, the teacher thumb-tacked the picture to his board for all to see, writing in huge letters beside it:

**TIFA LOCKHEART'S DEPICTION OF CLOUD STRIFE'S ANATOMY.**

**-- --**

During lunch, Vincent watched as Cloud and Tifa stared back and forth. He meant to speak up about it, but he wasn't one to interfere. What was obvious to him, he figured, may not be the same through their eyes. He was a reasonable man, though he was often taken as arrogant.

Across from him, Barrett and Cid ate like animals. Barrett had to eat school food, while Cid's live-in girlfriend Shera fixed him lunch every day. Still hungry, Barrett would often steal food from Cid's lunch while he wasn't looking. On the instances when Cid would notice, he'd curse loudly and start a brawl. The two of them weren't strangers to the detention hall...or the infirmary.

Some things never changed.

"DAMNIT! Gimme back my muffin!!"

"You dun need it...jes' lemme eat it."

"The hell I'll letcha eat it! Shera made it fer me, so give it back!"

"Like she made you every other damn thing here! LEMME EAT THE MUFFIN!"

"NO!"

"I'll fightcha for it! Whoever wins _eats the damn muffin_!"

"What the hell--FINE!!"

Before the two could launch any attacks, Tifa stood up from the table and walked away. Barrett and Cid, noticing, stopped their argument. They sat quietly back down, watching her retreating form. Of course, while Cid wasn't looking, Barrett thieved the muffin and ate it, but there were more important things going on at the moment.

She was walking towards the fountain, where Cloud sat eating. Cloud noticed her coming, and he looked up.

Tifa, looking down at his sandwich, began to talk.

"Hi...how've you been?"

No answer.

"Um...is that peanut butter and jelly?"

A shrug. Holding out his hand, he offered her a bite. Tifa blushed.

"Oh, n-no thanks. I'm not hungry, really..."

Her stomach grumbled. She hadn't eaten much in the past three weeks. Hearing that sound, Cloud stretched his hand out even further. Grateful but shy, Tifa took half of what he offered.

"Thanks... You know...the house is...pretty empty without you," Tifa managed between greedy chews.

He looked at her, intently watching her eat. She blushed again, chewing slower.

"I guess...I should get to the point."

Tifa swallowed the food and cleared her throat.

"Please come home, Cloud."

A raised eyebrow, an open heart...and the dismissal bell ringing over their heads, the two were locked in that moment. Tifa reached her hand out to grab him by the arm.

"Please come by _our_ house later...to give me your answer."

With that, Tifa ran off to her next class. Cloud watched her leave, still chewing his half of the sandwich.

-- --

Cloud Strife kicked his umbrella as he walked, welcoming the sudden downpour. The skies had little knowledge of how well they portrayed the young sword-wielder's feelings. Cold, confused, and so willing to just hit the ground without a fight.

He was so, so relieved to see everyone doing so well after all this time...and yet...

There were certain risks that even he could not take. He was not brave enough. He was not _strong _enough.

Despite what the public raved, when it came to Tifa, he was powerless.

So his answer to her plea in the lunchroom was plain and simple.

Seventh Heaven stared back into his eyes, dark and wet. Its curtains were open wide, welcoming anyone who wished to come in...or to return.

_"Welcome home, Cloud."_

Peeking in through the unguarded window, the blonde found Tifa smiling into a mirror on the wall. She had little to no make-up on, but she was perfect that way. The contrasts between her skin color and her hair color did all the magic that make-up could not. Tifa was beautiful. Everyone knew that.

Except for Tifa.

Cloud wished he had the courage to tell her. There were so many things he wanted to say...that he _could _have said. Sadly, there would be many things that Cloud would never have the courage to tell her.

Never.

_"I'm sorry." _

He continued to stare at Tifa through her window, the rain falling in lines along his face.

-- --

Meanwhile, Tifa Lockheart looked at herself in the mirror, making poses. Sometimes she'd smack her lips seductively, and other times she'd try smiling and winking at the same time. With a sigh, Tifa came to the conclusion that the latter was impossible. She looked like someone who'd just gotten a slingshot wound in the eye.

Instead, she settled on dressing up. She wore a short blue skirt, leaving her legs bare except for heeled pink flip-flops. Tifa's white shirt had silver and blue spirals on it, each design rolling down to the hem of her shirt. Instead of pulling her hair up like she typically did in the restaurant, she opted to let it flow down. Around her face, she clipped silver and pink butterfly barrettes.

Cloud was coming home! Tifa could barely contain her excitement. After three weeks, everything would return to normal. Normalcy was what she needed, especially when it involved the company of Cloud. After all, he _was _her hero. He just didn't know it yet.

Running a hand through her hair once more, Tifa returned to sitting at the bar in her restaurant. Spinning around on the barstool, the brunette thought back on her time with Cloud before his two-year departure.

**_Flashback._**

_Alone. They were alone...but they were together. If they were to die in their fight against Sephiroth and Meteor, the members of the group wanted to be with their families. Cloud and Tifa...both having lost everything aside from each other...stayed in the Highwind together. _

_That night, they stayed outside under the stars.Wiping away tears, Tifa had finally found the courage to be as forward as their deceased comrade. That night...she would sleep with her head on his shoulder. _

_Maybe more happened, but Tifa wouldn't tell. Cloud wasn't the type to brag, either, if anything quite like what _you're _thinking happened._

_What a beautiful night that was. He spoke so softly that Tifa believed things between them were looking up. They dreamed together that night, holding each other the only way they knew how. _

_When morning came, he let her stay on his shoulder..."just a little longer." A little longer still wouldn't be enough...for neither of them. _

_The two of them even planned on making the final voyage together, believing the rest of their party to have left permanently. Tifa smiled then, watching him as he tried to comfort her. She knew that he would make the end perfect, if that had been the end. For a moment, she even wanted to die there with him. _

_To die with him holding her. It was morbid...but it was enough for her. _

_That night by the Highwind, though beautiful it was, made his departure even harder for her to endure. Everything had seemed so perfect between them, yet he still left. What had she done wrong? _

_Was there some message between the lines...that she couldn't read? _

_**End Flashback.**_

**-- --**

****A sound.

Tifa stopped spinning.

Cloud opened the door, halting fully when he saw Tifa. Her beauty...she looked like a princess straight out of a fairy tale book.

Unfair, unfair, unfair. Tifa made things so much harder for Cloud when she looked like that. And she always did.

She looked so expectant. Her hair was a bit messy from the spinning, so it created a waterfall of chocolate along her back. Cloud found it hard not to stare, and Tifa didn't try to stop him.

"Tifa."

The brunette shivered. She loved the way she said her name--so seriously, like she was the most important person in the world to him. She wanted to believe that.

"Oh, Cloud. You really came."

The blonde's heart raced. Her voice was like music, and she was playing his heart strings.

"So...are you coming here to stay?"

Cloud looked at her with all the sincerity he had in him. Tifa felt like she was falling somewhere, but it didn't matter. Cloud would catch her, she was sure. Just as sure as she was of his answer.

"No."

She could have been hit by a bus twice, and it would have hurt less.

"Wh-wh-why not?" She really was trying not to cry.

"Because, Tifa...I just can't. It's impossible for me. Don't make me explain myself."

But she wanted an explanation. Didn't she deserve it? For every tear he made her cry...she deserved an explanation. At least one word...that's all she asked for.

Instead of asking, she allowed herself to cry. She didn't make a sound, but the sight still hurt Cloud. Seeing her like that shook him so much that he found himself walking closer to her. Taking a finger to her face, Cloud wiped away a new tear from underneath her eye.

"Don't cry for me, Tifa. I don't deserve it."

Whether he deserved it or not didn't matter. She would cry for him many other times.

With that, Cloud opened the door and left, forgetting a very important item near the coffee table.

Tifa, on the other hand, was beside herself with grief. The tears came down her face quickly at first, but soon she had more serious happenings to worry herself over. Taking a step back, Tifa prepared for the worst.

In a moment, the brunette became overcome with paralyzing pain. She grasped at her throat for air but none came. Her body felt like wood, as well, leaving her only to fall hard onto the ground. Still conscious, Tifa held out a hand into the air, reaching out to nothing.

Tifa, in a panic, involuntarily shut down her senses just to focus on breathing through her nose. Had Cloud taken the breath away from her...or was it something far more serious?

-- --

Cloud noticed he was missing something. Putting a hand to his shoulder, Cloud sighed. His bookbag. He'd left it by the coffee table earlier. He would have to go back to Tifa's house to get it...even though he'd just told her that he wouldn't return.

Maybe...she'd be happy that he came back? Maybe...she'd confuse him some more, hugging him like he'd always wanted her to. Maybe...he'd be convinced to stay. Tifa had that power over him. She just didn't know how to use it yet.

The blonde began to make his way back to the Seventh Heaven, balling his hands into fists as he walked. He didn't know what it was that made him do this... Stress? Anxiety? Tifa?

He wasn't sure...but something certainly didn't feel right.

On that capacity, Cloud felt rushed. He ran to the door of the Seventh Heaven, turning the knob.

She hadn't locked it. That was even more suspicious. She always had the door locked before she opened the restaurant.

Opening the door, Cloud looked around. His bookbag was still there as it had been, but no one stood around. He remained standing at the door, searching, searching...

There!

Her eyes were open, but she was motionless. One arm was stretched forward, reaching for something that wasn't there. Could it have been him that she reached for, after all this time?

Not entirely convinced, Cloud walked toward her unmoving body. Putting a hand to her back, Cloud lifted his childhood friend's upper body off of the ground. He nearly dropped her just as soon as he did. His hands burned with the contact. Tifa's body had grown dangerously hot.

Tifa, still conscious at that time, at last gave herself in to the pain, cradling herself in his arms.

_"Besides...you can take care of yourself."_

Knowing nothing else to do, Cloud picked her up once more. Bursting through _their _front door and leaving his bookbag behind once more, the blonde ran as fast as he could to the nearest hospital.

-- --

****Hours.

It had been hours since Cloud brought Tifa into the hospital. He had been pacing through the waiting room the whole time. Did he feel guilty? A bit.

What had happened to her? Cloud wondered if there was anything he could do.

Shoes. Someone was coming.

Stopping in mid-stride, Cloud looked toward the approaching woman. She wore a white uniform, a matching hat on her head. She carried a clipboard, held tightly to her chest. Though there was nothing much to be happy about, she smiled.

"Your friend seems to have woken up," the apparent nurse said, the creases by her eyes wrinkling.

Without thinking, Cloud tried to push past the nurse and go see her. Before he could, the nurse took him aback with her quiet strength.

"I'm afraid I can't let anyone in...that isn't related to Tifa in some way."

"My name is Cloud Strife," Cloud spat, annoyed. Every second apart from Tifa was killing him.

"Oh...okay."

Somehow Cloud's declaration made it all okay. Something written on the clipboard made it so that the simple mention of his full name would leave his statement undisputable.

"Let me through!"

The nurse, startled by the quiet man's sudden outburst, did little to stop him from walking toward Tifa's room.

"They aren't ready for visitors right now! Just wait a couple of minutes...!" her voice echoed across the hallway. Cloud heard it. But he didn't care.

He pushed open the door to Tifa's room. Blinded by the whiteness of the space, Cloud lifted an arm to shield his eyes. In that time, Tifa's doctor scurried out of the room.

Taking his arm down and away from his eyes, Cloud at last looked at Tifa again. It was hard for him to absorb his surroundings. This place...was like death. He didn't like seeing Tifa in a place like this. It seemed like foreshadowing.

He saw her face. So scared, so alone...so empty. Tifa was as pale as a sheet. Before she could summon up her voice to speak again, Cloud spoke first.

"I'm coming home."

Instead of being glad, though, or even smiling, Tifa looked to the ground in horror. There was something on her mind that she wouldn't tell Cloud. Moments before, her perspective on everything changed...

She heard from the doctor some devastating news...news that would break her away from Cloud once again.

_Shouting your name in the silence on my lips,_

_Only the echo of my misfortune remains._

_I am left here in my dream of loving you still._

_It will be...It will be how you want it to be,_

_But it will be that way._

_Even if I have to wait for you seven more lives,_

_I will stay hooked on this feeling._

_For loving you this way..._

_This is my fortune,_

_This is my punishment._

_Perhaps love like this is forbidden,_

_And I remain here dying to be with you._

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! There's a lot of foreshadowing here...so watch out for it. REVIEW, please! You know it makes me happy when you do:)**


	5. Like Sand Through Glass

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII.**

**A/N: Wow, I'm so amazed at the feedback I've been receiving! Fourty-two reviews, all right! Please don't stop! I'm so inspired :) I hope this isn't a boring chapter to you, though :( As promised, it's got CloTi in it!  
**

_**"Oh, no...she could have amnesia. You see," the doctor said, placing her hand back in her lap, "I have your husband's signature here..."**_**  
**

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Five:**

Like Sand Through Glass

**Bianka-chan**

**_Flashback_**

_**M**m, so white. It was so white. Tifa wondered where she was, dazedly collecting her thoughts. It was like waking up one summer morning...knowing that everything was taken care of. She felt powerless in a way, but in another way she was relieved. She'd seen Cloud, the worry striking his face. _

_She never wanted to stress him out...but worrying him a little wasn't so bad...was it?_

_At least she'd gotten his attention. After everything, a little acknowledgement wasn't too much to ask for. Mm, the white veil covering her eyes worked so well to soothe her._

_Tifa smiled subconsciously, picturing Cloud in her mind. His eyes had become so round...his mouth had opened enough for her to see traces of teeth. They would have made a great smile, if only he tried. _

_As the whiteness started to fade, Tifa strained her neck forward. She could make out a person's face coming through the mist. Green eyes...brown curly hair...so familiar. A hand reached for her, a green spiral reaching beyond it. It was _her_...and she knew it. But why? Why was _she _there?_

_Just as quickly as she appeared, she was replaced by reality once again. A white-sleeved arm replaced the illusion, reaching out just as mysteriously as the green-eyed woman's was. Tifa braced herself, closing her eyes tight. When she did, the voices surrounding her seemed to become louder. _

_"...know, she's awfully young to worry about this," the one reaching toward Tifa's face spoke._

_"I know. It's pretty cruel, isn't it?" The words began to fade and come back again. "She was...that helped save...from Sephiroth two...right?"_

_It didn't make any sense. The voice was coming and going. Tifa didn't know if the second woman speaking was close or far away. _

_"Well, look at this!" _

Please don't shout_, Tifa thought desperately. Her voice suddenly became so loud that Tifa stirred. _

_"She's awake?" _

_"Either that or she's having a seizure."_

_"That's really not funny."_

_"I'm morbid."_

_"You're a horrible person."_

_Tifa groaned. The two women quieted down, staring at their patient. As Tifa opened her eyes, she could see two middle-aged women peering down at her. One was a doctor, while the other appeared to be a nurse. The brunette hadn't been sure where she was before, but their apparel made it apparent to her. _

_Hospitals. She hated them. Her mother died in one, so many years ago. Tifa remembered every detail, including her trip to the Nibel Mountains afterward. The memory birthed yet another mental picture of Cloud. She briefly wondered where he was until the doctor spoke up once again. _

_"You've been out for several hours, Mrs..." She gazed down at her clipboard. "...Strife." _

_Tifa could have hacked out a lung. _

_"E-E-E-EXCUSE ME?" To say she was surprised would be an understatement._

_The doctor put the back of her hand to Tifa's forehead._

_"Oh, no...she could have amnesia. You see," the doctor said, placing her hand back in her lap, "I have your husband's signature here. Cloud Strife. He said you two have known each other your whole lives. Sad that you forgot him..." _

_In her mind, Tifa allowed her brain to provide a slideshow of pictures. Cloud...so silent and straight-faced...told them that she was his wife? What else did he say?_

_Tifa's stomach filled with butterfiles. _

_"N-n-no...I remember him..." _

_"What a quick recovery!"_

_"Uh-huh," Tifa managed, surprised at the professionalism of her doctor. Ah, sarcasm. _

_Tifa felt uneasy. Her head hurt, her throat was dry, and she could feel herself trembling. She wasn't sure, but she didn't think she could walk on her own. _

_Sensing her discomfort, the doctor straightened. _

_"Well, Mrs. Strife..."_

_Tifa flinched. _

_"I'm sure you're wondering what happened." _

_The nurse behind the curtain peeked over. "Just tell her." _

_A sideways glance. "You had an attack."_

_"An attack?" Tifa wondered. The word seemed so strange when used that way. Tifa was accustomed to thinking of battles alongside Cloud at the mention of "attacks." _

_"You see, Mrs. Strife, we believe you have contracted a disease." _

_Lights went off in Tifa's head. How? Why? When? Where?_

_"What?" Tifa's voice was soft and scared. _

_"We're unsure as to how long you've had it, but it appears as if your body has taken a great toll thus far." _

_The brunette's heart began to hurt. Just what did it all mean?_

_"So...what do I do?" _

_The doctor sighed, holding her clipboard tightly to her chest. Sometimes she hated her job. In her profession, she was not allowed to say things lightly, even if they were already too heavy on their own. Such a young girl..._

_"Mrs. Strife, I'm afraid your disease is--"_

_The door burst open, revealing a temporarily blinded blonde man. The doctor chose in this moment to scurry out of the room, whispering quietly to Tifa:_

_"Don't take anything for granted..."_

_**End Flashback**_

Cloud said he'd come back. Tifa should have jumped for joy.

But she didn't. She couldn't. She couldn't even move at all. Why? Tifa's eyes stung. All she ever did was help others. And now?

The blonde began to walk slowly toward Tifa's bed, his eyes soft and concerned. He didn't know what was wrong with her... It could have been anything. But nothing serious. _Tifa's too strong for that, _Cloud thought.

But what if? What if she couldn't speak? What if she couldn't move? What if she couldn't see?

What if...she could die?

Cloud's body went cold at the thought. As he neared the bed, he traced his fingers along its sheets. Tifa, feeling the touch, shivered. She looked at his face from the corner of her eyes, his image blurry.

He was concerned again...wasn't he? Cloud was hovering above Tifa, his finger still grazing her bedsheets. He opened and closed his mouth several times, swiftly taking in breath each time. He was obviously trying to say something, but he was too nervous to even start.

A sharp intake of breath. "...T-Tifa..."

The brunette started to slowly turn around. Though she was hurt and confused, she couldn't look away from him as he talked. She loved the way his face twisted when he was having trouble forming sentences.

A smile graced her face, though her eyes spoke pain. Cloud looked helplessly on, his hand trembling. How did this happen? How could he have _let _this happen? It was his fault--all his fault. Cloud belived that sentiment strongly.

"...What happened?"

_Cloud...I have a disease. I don't know what could happen to me. I'm not sure what happened to me already. My body has taken a great toll... _Tifa's mind was filled with uncertainty.

"Nothing to worry about..."

Lie.

"I think it was because I haven't been eating well lately, that's all."

Another lie.

"Why haven't you been eating well?" Cloud's voice was demanding. He had a strange way of showing concern.

Tifa looked away from Cloud, still feeling his fingers beside her.

"I, uh...I just haven't had the energy to cook..."

"That's because you're not _eating_, Tifa."

"No, it's because you--"

The curtain was pulled back again, the image of the nurse reappearing. She looked at what she had assumed was a happily married couple and smiled. The nurse's smile faded as she thought about Tifa's condition. She wondered if Tifa had told her husband yet.

"Mrs. Strife..."

Cloud and Tifa blushed, looking away from each other.

"...you're free to leave now. We expect you back regularly, though, considering--"

"--Okay," Tifa quickly interjected. She didn't want Cloud to know about her condition. As optimistic as the brunette was, she still believed that she would recover.

The nurse nodded, understanding her patient's rush. It would be hard to tell someone that loved you so much...that your health is on the line. From many years of work, the nurse had a keen intuition of how the families of her patients reacted to tragic news. Looking at the built blonde, she shook her head slowly.

She knew that the blonde would be hit hard with the news. He obviously cared very much for the young woman, though his actions attempted to prove otherwise. The nurse could see through this like sand through glass.

"I'll ready a wheelchair for you, Mrs. Strife."

"Alri--"

"--That won't be necessary."

The two women stared at Cloud, puzzled looks on their face. Tifa smiled sadly, trying to sit herself up on tired arms.

"He's right. I ought to walk on my own."

So much for him being worried about her. Tifa thought that this incident changed nothing within him. Not even a flicker of concern remained, she believed.

Cloud inhaled deeply, exhaling with force. Reaching out toward Tifa, he gritted his teeth. Tifa, on the other hand, blushed. Just what was he doing?

The blonde tore Tifa's covers off of her body, revealing what she wore underneath. Though she was fully clothed when she entered the hospital, her original outfit had been removed for inspection. Instead, she wore a blue hospital gown. It opened completely in the back. Cloud knew this already without seeing her backside.

His confidence lost, Cloud stopped, frozen. Tifa laid down frozen as well, her cheeks a permanent red.

The nurse lifted a plastic bag into the air, her free hand resting on her hip. "I have Mrs. Strife's clothes in this bag. I thought that Mr. Strife would like to help you get changed."

Cloud's eyes bulged. The surprise nearly caused him to tip over onto Tifa.

The nurse closed the curtains, her face still peeking inside. "Just open the curtain once you're done, okay?"

Tifa stared down at the bag. It laid at the edge of her bed, still a little too far out of her reach. Cloud, catching her glimpse, picked up the bag. He placed it gently beside her, still not looking directly at her face.

Tifa, sensing his discomfort, broke the silence.

"It's okay, Cloud. Just turn around, okay?"

The brunette opened the bag, looking down at her clothes. Everything was still intact, but it was going to be hard to put it all back on by herself. She couldn't really move her legs without intense pain, so the skirt in the bag seemed useless. What was she going to do? Have Cloud help her?

Closing the bag, Tifa stared at Cloud's back. Sure enough, he hadn't budged. He deeply respected her privacy.

"Cloud...I need help..."

She witnessed his reaction. His back straightened sharply, his head jerking upward. Slowly but surely, the blonde turned to stare at his childhood friend. Fortunately for him, she was still completely covered.

"...Yeah?"

Tifa shook her head, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I can't get my clothes on by myself..."

The blood rushed up to Cloud's head. His mind screamed obscenities, but from his mouth no words poured out.

"I don't think I can really move my legs..."

_Oh, yeah? Well, me neither, _Cloud thought, his embarrassment growing. As much as he didn't want to show it, though, his concern for her was even more overwhelming. Was she paralyzed?

"Well...what do you want me to do?"

Tifa sat herself up at last, her legs still lying flat on the mattress. She rocked back and forth, shutting her eyes tight. She was obviously nervous to speak to him on these terms, even though he was her only hope.

"C-c-can...can I wear your shirt?"

Cloud stared at Tifa for a moment, his embarrassment fading quickly. While her eyes were closed, he relished in the moment of being able to stare at her freely. She was still red from earlier, her lips squeezed into a curvy line of frustration.

Tifa slowly opened her eyes again, afraid that he would deny her the request. Without saying a word, Cloud had already begun taking off his shirt. The brunette stared at him with wide eyes as he did so, observing the white tank-top he wore underneath. Pulling the shirt carefully over his head, Cloud tossed it onto Tifa's bed.

Smiling, the brunette picked it up and hugged it. Cloud smirked to himself, silently glad that he was able to help. He turned around again, waiting for Tifa to change.

Quiet shuffling. Cloud tapped his foot impatiently. Pulling her head through the hole, Tifa gasped for air.

"I'm done. You can turn around now."

Cloud did as he was told, daring to get a good look at Tifa in his shirt. His blue garment proved to be long on her, reaching down to her upper-thigh. The sleeves also reached a little past her elbow, though they ended just at Cloud's bicep. Beneath the shirt, Cloud could see that Tifa was wearing small shorts. Apparently, she had been wearing them underneath her skirt.

He loved her modesty. She could dress up nicely, but she never forgot to wear extra apparel underneath.

Approaching her again, Cloud traced his fingers along the bedsheets. Tifa stared at him, her hands clasped together. The blonde put his hands on her shoulders, staring at her. Temporarily dazed, Tifa was rudely awakened when Cloud jerked her body to face him entirely.

Taking her hands into his own, Cloud turned around. He placed her hands onto his own shoulders, reaching out this time for her legs. Though Tifa could not see his face, she bet that he was nervous. She realized what he was trying to do, and it made her smile.

Successfully having pulled her legs off the bed, Cloud wrapped them around himself. Tifa, at his action, wrapped her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder, brushing her cheek against his.

The two exited the room through the curtain, Cloud carrying Tifa on his back.

-- --

She loved having an excuse to wrap her arms around him. He, on the other hand, enjoyed every second of being her legs. He knew that she had no one else to depend on, and it made him feel like he had at last done something right.

The hospital was far away from the house, making for a long walk home. Tifa began kicking her legs as soon as the pain subsided.

She could feel his muscles tense as she did so.

"Y-y...you can move them?"

Tifa laughed quietly, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.

"Always could. It just hurt too much."

Cloud growled softly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Tifa nuzzled her cheek against his, feeling his face burning.

"I have a better question, Mr. Strife..."

Oh, geez. Cloud could feel the tide coming in. He feared her question.

"Why did you tell them that we're married?"

Cloud was silent for a moment until he broke it with a sigh. She always asked the most difficult questions.

"...I wanted to see you."

It was Tifa's turn to blush. Her grip around his neck softened, bringing Cloud to tighten his around her legs.

"I mean, if I didn't, I wouldn't have been able to visit you. Only family members are allowed to visit, and since we're not related, I couldn't have. You don't have any family, but those stupid people wouldn't have listened. It's not like--"

Tifa laughed again. "I understand..."

She was beginning to feel tired again, her eyelids heavy. Cloud sensed her tiredness, tightening his grip on her legs even more.

"You did it for me..." she said groggily, falling asleep shortly after finishing the sentence.

No.

"I did it for us..."

His words flew away in the wind, like feathers from a flapping bird, soaring up into the sky.

_You've accompanied me through life,_

_Through tears and happiness._

_You are the support that helps me go on._

_--_

_You discover my virtues,_

_Forget my defects._

_You give me the strength to fight._

_--_

_Nothing is impossible,_

_With you by my side...  
_

_

* * *

_  
**A/N: Thank you for reading! I really hope it wasn't boring or anything. Did you feel the CloTi, anyway? Especially in the translated lyrics at the end, right? Hehe :)  
**

**On a side note, I have sad news. School will be starting up soon for me, so I'm afraid that this may be my last "one-week-update." I've been updating once a week, which is very strange for me, but now all my summer work is catching up to me. I have to finish a book and write five essays for AP English, and THEN I need to do a huge math packet for AP Calculus. I won't even bother detailing on my extra-curricular activities...blech. Never fear, though! This story _will _be continued at a decent pace. I just hope that you guys will stick with me through this. Thanks a bunch!**

_Abrazado A Tu Piel _by_ Cristian Castro (Something along the lines of "Embraced By Your Skin." Sorry, but that's hard to translate well into English. My mom and I were debating about it just now, too/ No clear translation) _does _not _belong to me. I translated the song from Spanish to English, possibly leaving some awkwardness in the phrasings. Though I changed some words to better suit the English language, I still credit Cristian for having inspired me. :)**  
**

**Anyway, review, please! I really appreciate it! Have a nice day! 7/29/06.  
**


	6. Inside Your Heart

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII.**

**A/N: Thank you so very much for all the reviews! I'm at 56 reviews now! I never imagined so many people would put this on their favorites and/or alerts list, either. The alerts list _doubled _with the last chapter. Thanks again—I mean it!**

**Sorry if the plot seems to be going one way and then another. It'll all tie in soon, don't worry. I've got _everything _planned out already :) What came up on me all of a sudden, though, was a…Vincent/Yuffie/Reno triangle. YOU READ IT:D**

**This chapter is mostly description, so I'm really sorry about that… I hope that you can endure it until you get to the CloTi parts toward the end :). **

**Last but not least, a big THANK YOU to Insane Violet for reading through this chapter for me a week or two ago. I was really unsure about it…and she did a great job in reassuring me. She's so cool XD  
**

"_**Before I had everything, I had only you…and that was everything to me." **_

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Six:**

Inside Your Heart

**Bianka-chan**

**T**wo people were living in Seventh Heaven. It was a busy place at times, but Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart were used to challenges. The most challenging of all, though, was keeping up with Tifa's disease. Cloud often caught her from falling to the ground, her breath gone.

She waved away any of his concern. He still didn't know what was wrong with her. It was cruel of her not to tell him, but was it as cruel as all he had put her through for two straight years?

Nothing could be so cruel, she thought. She _thought_. Soon, though, she'd take that sentiment back.

In any case, she and Cloud were still on somewhat distant terms. Tifa struggled to bring them closer, but Cloud often backed away. He was still too scared to become close to anyone.

Yes, he was scared. He inwardly admitted it, though others had inferred similar conclusions already. Tifa was one of the very few who took it personally. Cloud didn't intend to hurt her all the time, but he always did.

And in the end, that's all that really matters. Your intentions are put on the back burner while your actual doings are examined. After all, no one can see inside your heart.

As Tifa placed the sandwich inside a brown paper bag, she looked toward the living room. Cloud sat on the couch, staring mindlessly into the TV. He always watched the news every morning, waiting for Tifa to get ready.

Also waiting for her to fix him lunch. She made a mean "manwich." Bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, meat, cheese, and just a little bit of her own sauce...

Cloud twiddled his fingers over his stomach just thinking about it. He never told Tifa that he liked it, but she often watched him scarf it down during lunch. He ate like a savage beast sometimes, especially when Tifa was the chef.

She would stare at him from the corner of her eyes, laughing a little to herself. Cloud would sneak short glances at her after finishing his sandwich, wondering if she had seen him. Her playful eyes always teased him in a way that no one else's could.

Cloud and Tifa had created such a routine that no words needed to be spoken. Cloud would simply step up when he heard the paper back being folded, turning the TV off at the press of a button. Near the coffee table, Cloud would pick up both his book bag and hers, never allowing her to lift anything.

A motorcycle, as inconvenient as it was for their book bags, was their mode of transportation. Cloud would cram the two book bags into side-pockets, often crushing books and papers alike to make room for the lunch bags.

The brunette martial artist would wrap her arms around the blonde's waist, holding him like a corset would've. At first, at least. Cloud would eat up speed bumps like pebbles. Then the two would be suspended in the air for a moment, thrilling Cloud and horrifying Tifa. When she got used to it, though, she would ask for Cloud to take the more dangerous route. They were becoming a lot more alike.

Once they arrived at school, Cloud and Tifa would head off to their first period together--gym. Although they had to separate by gender most of the times, Cloud would make sure she made it safely to where she needed to be. Only until he was sure that she was fine would he leave. He never spoke a word as he walked her to her seating area; he would just watch, looking around for anything suspicious.

As Tifa settled down into her assigned seating place, Cloud would nod and turn away. Even if they were running late, he would do this. It was just another way that Cloud was quietly caring.

Tifa almost wished that she had gotten sick sooner. If Cloud was kind to her...it was worth it, right?

Hmm.

-- --

Yuffie Kisaragi eyeballed her best friend, her hands resting on her bony hips. She leaned a little to her left, attempting to size Tifa up. From the corner of her eye, the skilled ninja could see three men staring at both her and her friend, their faces wondering.

Reno the ex-Turk glanced at Yuffie, listing obscenities in his head. Rude had told him that Yuffie had assaulted him with dodge balls after the unfortunate Tifa Incident. That would've explained Reno's consistent migraines.

The red-headed upper classman chuckled to himself, recalling the pencil Yuffie had lent him days before. She would be getting it back alright, but it would be chewed. Mercilessly.

No, he would sharpen until it was beyond all use. Well…maybe she could use it for a little bit. But not long! Reno chuckled again to himself. He was one sexy genius--his thoughts exactly.

Vincent Valentine glimpsed at Yuffie as well, attempting to hide his stare with his long, ebony locks. Why hide, though? His glorious crimson eyes would reveal anything he allowed to seep out of him. Therefore, he had long ago reasoned to cast away feelings, emotions…anything deemed unnecessary to live a normal, untouched life.

Cloud Strife couldn't get his eyes off of her. Tifa. What was wrong with her? Why didn't she speak up to him like she used to? Why wasn't she as strong as she used to be?

Why...why did she hurt? Why didn't he see them before, the tanned tear-lines down her perfect face?

The blonde briefly wondered if he was the cause of his childhood friend's pain, her poor health, her everything. He wanted to be everything to her, but he had given her nothing but anguish.

Everything. Nothing.

_Before I had everything, I had only you..._

_And that was everything to me. _

-- --

After warm-ups, the once separated gym class reunited to play yet another field sport. It wasn't as competitive or as widely known as the previously played sports, but it was one to be enjoyed. Kickball. Everyone in the class rushed outside, forming a collective mass of excited students. Rude and Reno were picked as captains this time, so they had to pick people one at a time for their teams.

Much to Cloud's discomfort, Tifa was picked first for Rude's team. Reno picked Yuffie; Rude picked Vincent; Reno picked Cid; Rude picked Barrett; Reno picked Cloud, and so on.

Separated again, Cloud noticed with a sigh. Tifa had Vincent and Barrett to look after her, though. Cloud settled on that thought. Well, at least he had Yuffie and Cid to keep him company.

Yuffie and Cid?

It took a moment for the blonde to register his predicament.

_Damn_, Cloud thought.

So, for the majority of the game, Cloud had to deal with Cid and Yuffie's bickering. Two loud-mouthed people just didn't add up. Only nodding to Cid and Yuffie when they asked him a question, the blonde turned his attention to his roommate. She was in the outfield, ready to catch any fly-away kickballs. Cloud, on the other hand, was just about to have his turn at kicking the ball.

She was doing fine. Cloud heaved a sigh of relief. Good. As he stepped up to kick the ball, he glanced at Tifa one last time. Picking his foot up and lodging it forward with equal force, the defenseless kickball was launched at top speed toward the outfield.

Rude stood close to Tifa, his crush on her still burning in his heart. Just how she could stay with an unfeeling man like Cloud, he didn't know. Sure, he wasn't the most talkative of guys, either, but at least he didn't care more for himself than others. His manly personality called for him to protect Tifa, though it appeared she could take care of herself well.

Spotting the fast-flying kickball, Rude turned fully to face it. Though it headed for Tifa, she didn't budge. What was wrong with her? Her reflexes had once been catlike, and now she was frozen to the spot? Rude's quiet ways made it difficult to him to verbally warn her, so he did the best his habits allowed him to.

The tall ex-Turk ran to Tifa, hugging her body to his. She remained stiff in his embrace, trying still to catch her lost breath. Rude could feel himself blushing, holding Tifa close to him with his hands around her waist.

The kickball that Cloud had kicked stopped its short venture in the air, halting sharply onto Rude's back. Caught by the intensity of the impact, Rude fell forward. He had hardly enough time to flip himself over and situate the catatonic Tifa on top of him.

Cloud stopped for a moment, taking in the sight before him. Someone else had saved Tifa? But...that wasn't supposed to happen that way. Even more wrong was that she had been saved...from one of his own blows. Ignoring the rules, Cloud ran to the outfield. First base was isolated without his presence.

By that time, Rude had already sat himself up with Tifa in his lap. He held her close to him, one hand on her waist and the other cupped behind her head. The brunette's once still arms folded upward at that time, her fingers spreading.

Tifa rubbed her eyes and exhaled, not bothering to remove herself from Rude's lap. Cloud noticed that she was moving, and Rude just sat and stared wide-mouthed. It took her a moment or two to realize that the ground was not normally this warm nor...touchy. The brunette's eyes found Rude's, birthing a gasp from her once purple lips.

"Rude?" she breathed, tensing.

"...Hi," Rude choked out.

"What happened?" Cloud interjected, his hands balled into fists at his side.

Tifa looked up at Cloud, worry written all over her face. He couldn't maintain a strong scowl while looking at her, so Cloud forced his gaze onto the ex-Turk that held her so tightly in his arms.

"I-I don't know..." Tifa started, looking back and forth between Cloud and Rude.

"...I saved her...I guess."

Cloud already knew that, but he needed to hear it from the man who had taken his place as her savior. Sure, he never agreed to the promise...but it was a solemn oath he had taken upon himself a long time before. If only he could show her in some way. If only...

Cloud felt something tap his shoulder. Looking in that direction, the blonde found a short girl looking shyly at his face.

"Um...you're out..."

And that was how Rude's team won the kickball game.

-- --

Several periods later, Cloud and Tifa sat quietly in Ms. Elena's classroom for Contemporary History. The blonde hadn't noticed before that Rude was also in that class. He had scoffed then, wondering what kind of special treatment Ms. Elena gave him.

Rude continued his habitual staring. He appeared to be looking straight at Ms. Elena, but he was actually staring at Tifa through the corner of his eye. Sunglasses worked well when one wanted to sneak peeks at crushes.

Not long after the class had commenced, the students were called up to pick numbers out of a hat. There were two of each number, so they were told to match up with the person who had picked the same number.

That day just wasn't Cloud's lucky day. He wasn't Tifa's partner. Not by a long shot. Instead, he was looking down--very far down--at that stupid Johnny kid that had hurt Tifa just the month earlier. If Johnny was lucky, he would be alive at the end of the project. Things weren't looking too good for him, either, as he watched Cloud crack his knuckles.

Tifa fidgeted with her fingers, not looking up at her partner. It's not that she was normally shy around him, but she could feel his gaze burning a hole on her forehead. Not that he was staring merely at her forehead... He was a man, after all.

Rude looked down at his partner. Beautiful, dedicated, and not as far out of his reach as he had first thought. He could still feel her warmth in his fingertips. Tifa.

Ms. Elena slammed a book onto her desk. "Okay. The project is due by the end of this week. Exchange phone numbers, addresses, or whatever with your partner, as it will require direct communication. I'll give you the rest of the period to plan it all out."

There was an awkward silence between Tifa and Rude. Granted, most silences with Rude were uncomfortable. That's just how he was--an awkward guy. The two exchanged phone numbers. One wished that it wasn't necessary, while the other one thanked his lucky stars that the circumstance came about. He would cherish the slip of paper that she had written her number down on forever.

A slip of a memory.

-- --

As soon as Cloud and Tifa arrived home, Tifa set off to start on her project. Cloud did not take this as initiative, though. He took it as excess attention to a Turk. Okay, okay, an _ex_-Turk. But it was still Rude.

In her room, Tifa was all smiles. Cloud had been worried about her. On top of _everything, _he had been...jealous, too. Jealous! Tifa played with the word in her mind. Cloud Strife...jealous of another boy for having held Tifa.

Her phone rang. Tifa, not expecting it, jumped off of her bed and sprinted toward the source of the noise. Looking at her Caller ID, Tifa noted that the number was one she didn't recognize. She pressed the "Talk" button cautiously.

"Hello?" Tifa sounded muffled.

"...Hi."

Rude? Tifa put a hand to her hip, biting her lip at the same time. Just why was he calling her, anyway? They had discussed everything that needed to be discussed...right?

"Um...hi..." Tifa responded, feeling the awkwardness of their conversation rising.

"...I was just wondering..." Rude began. Tifa could hear sounds in the background. He was obviously reading off of a piece of paper. She swore she could hear Reno egging him on.

"...Would you like to..."

Tifa nodded, although no one could see her.

"...go on a date with me this Friday? My treat...since we'll be done with the project by then..."

"Oh...um, Rude..." Tifa didn't know what to say. She wished Cloud would ask her on a date, but Rude wasn't..._that _bad. He was just awkward. Didn't matter--so was she.

"I'll...I'll think about it, okay?" Tifa managed after a long pause.

Reno's voice faded. Rude cleared his throat.

"...Okay."

"Talk to you later!" Tifa tried to cheer him up a little. She felt kind of bad.

"...Later."

_Click. _

-- --

Tifa walked downstairs, her cell phone clutched in a hand. She held that hand behind her back, hiding it from a man that didn't bother to look up. The brunette found him sitting in the kitchen, leafing through a textbook. He was leaning his entire head on an upturned palm, his face bored.

Tifa peered down at him, sneaking her head into the space between his face and his textbook. Cloud, taken by surprise, jumped back. He toppled off of his chair and onto the hardwood floor.

The brunette gasped, running around the table and holding a hand out to him. He took it slowly, feeling embarrassed for having been taken off guard. Tifa hoisted him up, grunting lightly as she did so. Once he was on his feet, Cloud stood tall. It sure was hard to have pride when such a small girl could take you off your feet.

Cloud looked at her, noticing that she still had one hand behind her back. When he thought that she was hiding something from him, he squinted.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing in the direction of her concealed arm.

"Oh!" Tifa wasn't good at acting dumb.

She planned on asking him what he thought of her dating Rude... Well…it really was her decision to make, but she planned on gauging Cloud's reaction. Depending on that, she would know just how he felt about her in a raw display of emotions.

Tifa removed her hand from behind her, sheepishly showing Cloud her cell phone. The blonde raised an eyebrow, staring quizzically at his childhood friend. Tifa smiled, blushing slightly.

"Guess who just called me?"

Cloud's eyes narrowed. His first thought, of course, was Rude. However, he tried hard to reason with himself. It could've been anyone. Yuffie, Cid, Barrett, Shera, Vincent...

…No, not Vincent. He wouldn't call.

It didn't have to be Rude, though it was quite like him to jump to jealous conclusions.

"Rude just did!"

_That son of a... Mother fu... Bas... DAMNIT! _Cloud couldn't morally finish his thoughts without _needing _to go to church.

Cloud tried to keep his cool, which was an action that he had long ago perfected. Or so he thought.

"Oh?" His voice had a cold edge to it.

"Uh-huh."

Tifa, on the other hand, was an expert at leaving people on edge. She wanted to tell Cloud the whole conversation, but she wanted even more to...torture him a little. No harm done, right? Maybe she was a bit dubious, but it _was _something she had learned from Cloud, anyway.

Silence reigned in the room. Cloud wanted to scream, asking Tifa to _please _get on with it. He didn't know how to ask her to tell him more without a) getting furious or b) appearing jealous beyond excuse. Neither of them were too appealing.

But Tifa really was too good at teasing him. She stared at him for a few suspended moments, smiling slyly.

"Well? Do you want to know what he said?"

To Cloud, a year had passed since her last words. In an exaggerated exhale, Cloud shook his head and glared at Tifa.

"YES!"

It was Tifa's turn to raise an eyebrow. Did Cloud just say that? She hardly skipped a beat, though, and shrugged her shoulders.

"Geez, okay, Cloud."

_Pause._

Cloud wanted to stab himself in the hand with a fork. He hated suspense.

"He asked me out on a date--"

_Grunt. _

"--this Friday."

_An uncharacteristic "harrumph."_

"What do you think, Cloud?" Tifa's voice was teasing.

Cloud took a moment to look between each of his balled fists. For added effect, he slammed his textbook shut. The table shook.

Tifa flinched. He was about to blow. The brunette smiled inwardly, knowing just what was about to happen.

_And 5..._

Twitch.

_4..._

Scoff.

_3..._

Tap.

_2..._

Fidget.

_1..._

Oh, boy.

"I don't like him. Remember everything that he and his stupid gang did two years before? _He tried to kill us._" Cloud paused, realizing that Rude had never hit her once in battle. That freaking bast—

"Besides, he's bald. You'd look strange beside him, since your hair is so long. And he's an ape. He can't even fight well. Remember his body slam? I don't think he could tickle a toddler or tackle a butterfly.

"And what could he do if anything bad happened? He can't protect you from anything. You might as well pick him up and use him as a battering ram. I still doubt that he'd even make a good one, even though--"

Tifa's quiet laughter filled the room. Cloud paused mid-rant. He stared up at her again, his eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. A slight blush crossed his cheeks.

"Oh, Cloud. I'll just tell him that I can't go."

Cloud's blush deepened. He looked away from her, lifting his hand behind his head. As he opened his mouth to contest, Tifa winked at him.

Tifa walked away to call Rude back with a negative response. Though she felt sorry for having used his offer to suit her own motives, she figured she could make up for it by making him lunch. That is, if Cloud wasn't jealous.

Fat chance.

The blonde was left in the room alone. He dropped his hand from his head, it falling softly by his side. He collapsed onto an upturned chair, bringing a free hand to rest on his chin once again. Huffing, Cloud looks thoughtfully at the ceiling, attempting to look at _something _that he wouldn't find the brunette's face in.

But she was everywhere. In his past, in his present life, on his mind...

...In his heart.

He brushed away any romantic thoughts of her, though the blush remained deeply etched on his face.

_If only you knew that your memory_

_Caresses me like the wind_

_That my heart has remained_

_Without words to speak to you_

_What I feel is so immense…_

--

_If only you knew how you make_

_Every part of my body anxious,_

_How your memories beat in my soul_

_When your presence remains here in my chest._

_-- _

_Come…! Give me your love…_

_My life will be in every kiss I give you,_

_And my tormented past will be lost._

_The entire world leaves me lacking_

_Enough room to love you._

**A/N: Gosh, the italics in the end are getting to be awfully long! Anyway, thank you SO much for reading this chapter! It took me quite a while to write...so I'm very sensitive about it. Was it good? Do tell! REVIEW, please! I'm so afraid that I'm going to lose everyone with this chapter!**

**This chapter turned out to be romantic, I guess. Cloud's slowly falling in love with Tifa for the second time. However...things are about to take a turn for the worst. Watch out for the next chapter. **

_Si Tu Supieras _by _Alejandro Fernandez (If Only You Knew) _does _not _belong to me. I translated the song from Spanish to Engilsh, possibly leaving some awkwardness in the phrasings. Though I changed some words to better suit the English language, I still credit Alejandro for having inspired me:)

**Thanks again for reading! REVIEW! Have a nice day! 8/13/06**

**Bianka-chan.**


	7. Soft As The Falling Rain

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII.**

**A/N: Hello, everyone! Sorry about the long wait for this new update, but I promise that I have a VERY good reason for it! **

**Anyway, this chapter is going to be rather filled with dialogue. I hope you like the style I write because I think it definitely shines through in this installment. I apologize, though, if it's not quite up to par with my other chapters :( **

**For those curious about Tifa's condition, it will be fully revealed in this chapter. Sorry for taking so long to be out with it, but the extra chapters in between were quite necessary:)**

**Thanks again to all my reviewers! You guys are the best XD I mean…seriously! 72 reviews? I never would've expected that much at this point in time! I hope I can reach 100 soon, though! **

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Seven:**

Soft As The Falling Rain

**Bianka-chan**

**T**here was something foreboding about the calmness that hung over Nibelheim.

Something unspoken, carried in the wind, cast warnings through the air. Nibelheim wasn't exactly the type of town that slept at night, a danger looming darkly in the atmosphere. However, in the past few weeks, nightfall instilled peace in the hearts of its inhabitants. A serenity that seemed unreachable in the past beckoned, and in the naiveté of youth, they grasped it.

Holding their breath, hoping for forever, wishing on a star...

Nibelheim.

-- --

It was the weekend, and a young martial artist was tired of waiting. Her roommate refused to acknowledge her existence...romantically, and it was driving her insane. Just what was holding him back? The memory of a failed rescue...or a love that would never die?

_Never die..._

Tifa Lockheart paced around Seventh Heaven in a huff. Cloud Strife was the most difficult human being she had ever encountered in her life--period. The brunette enjoyed challenges...just not riddles. Her blonde childhood friend showed his interest in her at inexplicably inopportune times, mostly when other male classmates were hitting on her.

Other than that, he was a stone.

Okay, an attractive stone. But still a stone.

Cloud was sitting on the couch yet again, leafing through his notes. No, he wasn't really a studious person; he just utilized any tool in the vicinity to prevent looking at her. Any glance could provoke blushing, and the sword-wielder refused to do so.

But his shirt had looked very becoming on her...

Blush.

_Damn! _he thought, lifting his notes closer to his face. _Think about something else._

Cloud turned a page, revealing scribbles that could only be defined as math homework. 2 sin .5, tan 22/7, sin² + cos² equals tan²...

_I'll cosine your tangent, _cooed Cloud's inner voice.

The blonde looked incredulously down at his notes. That didn't even make sense!

How _dare _Tifa make him feel that way? It really was her fault, he had reasoned. If she wasn't so distracting, he may have had an A in Trigonometry.

The blush was still there, though it may very well have spread further. Cloud grumbled, reasoning to continue perusing his notes.

Cloud turned yet another page, looking down at a drawing of the human body. The example boasted a painfully accurate sketch of the insides of a _female _body. He had written notes beside the display, circling a few terms that he would have to memorize.

"M-m-mammary glands(1)?" he stuttered, reading his notes aloud.

Tifa turned to stare at him, not having heard him clearly.

"What did you say, Cloud?"

She was approaching him, a certain aspect of her anatomy appearing abnormally larger to Cloud's bulging eyes. He tried fruitlessly to cover his reddened face once again, but he couldn't help staring a little...

There she stood, inches away from his tomato-like face. She put her hands to her hips, eager to converse with him at last.

"Hm?"

"No...nothing..."

_Every moment apart from you, I crumble._

-- --

After all that time, the two of them hadn't had a decent conversation. Cloud was fighting a losing battle, trying not to fall for the brunette he had hurt so much before. Tifa was failing as well in her attempt not to let her attention fall on his seemingly disinterested face.

As time passed, though, a fire began to boil deep within Tifa's heart. She was right there; he was right there... Wasn't that basic math? After all that time...all that poorly-spent time...it was further wasted? She had half-expected Cloud to stroll up to her, stare into her eyes, and apologize.

For what?

For everything.

That would be enough.

But apparently, he could not apologize enough to the forever lost Cetra. Of course, the brunette sadly remembered the untimely death of her former companion, but she had long ago acknowledged her friend's brave act. Her sacrifice worked better when marveled at and appreciated. Cloud's brooding only took away her glory.

And Tifa... While she could never compare her sacrifices to the ultimate one made by the Ancient, her own acts should not have been ignored as a result. Those two years...those two years of quiet solitude, spent waiting for a man that would return without remorse. Those two years could not be returned. Never spent--never going to be spent.

One day, he would regret everything, but that day wasn't the day.

As Tifa approached Cloud, she decided to mask her anger with curiosity. Her loosely fitted skirt created a blue silhouette, making her background appear dim compared to her glorious beauty. Cloud noticed this with a raised eyebrow, taking in her white tank top at the same time. He fought hard to hide his emotions; little did he know that his feelings were the only cure for her inner torment.

Much like the prior "Phone Incident," Tifa held an object hidden behind her back. Unlike that time, though, Cloud did not ask her about it.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked lightly, lilting her voice to suit that of a small child's.

"Yeah, okay." His response was far too quick to reveal any amount of interest.

Not one to be denied so easily, Tifa withdrew the object from behind her back, exclaiming a proud, "Ta-da!"

A large sheet of construction paper covering her face, Tifa asked, "What do you think?"

Cloud looked over slowly, his eyes seeming to be stuck onto the paper he was previously reading. He paused before replying, "Hmm…it's nice, I guess, but it could definitely use more color… I don't know what girls like…um…pink?"

Tifa's shoulders slumped at the end of his sentence. As her shoulders ended their brief landing, she allowed her project to fall freely onto the floor. It landed at Cloud's feet, finding itself just underneath the tip of his toes. Cloud looked at Tifa with questioning eyes.

"It would be pink…wouldn't it?" she asked, her voice as soft as the falling rain.

The blonde looked around himself frantically for a moment, not knowing what words he could possibly utter to prevent an argument.

"Come on, Tifa—"

"What's my favorite color, Cloud?"

"Yours…? Uh, pink?"

"Red. What's my middle name?"

"Um…Anne?"

"I don't have one."

"That's not very fair—"

"When's my birthday?"

"February…seventh?"

Tifa sank to the floor, her knees under her chin. Cloud turned a little more, his eyes at last animated with a little concern. The brunette wiped furiously at her eyes, drumming her toes against the hardwood floor.

"Cloud…Aeris' favorite color was pink… Aeris' birthday was on February seventh…"

The blonde struggled with his words before grunting in frustration. "Tifa, be reasonable. I can't remember everything."

The martial artist looked up from the floor, glaring at Cloud with sparkling red eyes.

"But you can remember her! You can remember every little thing about her…can't you?" Her voice cracked occasionally, causing chills to rivet up Cloud's spine.

"Are you asking me to forget?" he asked in a stern voice, his muscles tensing.

"No one's asking you to forget her! We all remember her, Cloud! Do you think you're the only one who does? Do you really think that you're all alone in this world? I could go on all day telling you how wrong you are about that…"

"Then what are you trying to say, Tifa?"

" 'We need to let go of Aeris' memory.' You said that, remember? It was the day before we went into the Northern Cave."

Tifa paused to let it all sink in.

"Take your own advice, Cloud, and learn to live on!"

Cloud remained quiet in his seat, not daring to look at Tifa in the face. Sometimes the women that you fall for are the most difficult ones to face.

Despite his inner feelings for the brunette before him, nothing could have stopped the waves of emotions tiding inside of him.

"How can you be so uncaring, Tifa?" Cloud's voice was deep and monotonous. "You have your whole life ahead of you, and what did she have? An unended childhood. You just don't understand because you don't have to."

Cloud balled his fists and shook his head. "You'll have..." he trembled as he spoke, his words varying chromatically. "so much more than she could have ever had..."

Tifa choked back tears, her heart aching. She could feel it in her bones that she was about to break, physically and emotionally. "I have..." she managed, "nothing but misguided hope..."

Cloud's childhood friend lifted herself from the ground, scrambling up the stairs in a blur of blue and white. Anyone could hear her violent shuddering and forceful hiccups as she grasped at her chest with closed eyes.

_Don't spread your wings too far from me…_

-- --

It was just under an hour later when she found herself approaching the stairs, her heart throbbing. Maybe it was the pain that his words caused her just earlier. Maybe her heart had finally had enough.

Maybe…it was something so much worse…

Hearing her echoing footfalls, Cloud turned his head. Their eyes met in a clouded moment. The background spun, blurry and unimportant. The two of them seemed to sense the oncoming peril.

And just like that…Tifa began to fall down the stairs.

Before she could even touch the ground, Cloud ran to catch her, fear at last sinking in. He collapsed onto the ground with her in his arms, her hair laced between his fingers. Finally opening his eyes, he glanced down at the broken girl leaning against his chest. Something struck within him as he looked her over.

She was not as strong as she tried to be. Every word he spoke to her affected her tremendously. Every scar that lined her skin made Cloud suddenly feel guilty, as if his own coldness had pierced her skin instead.

Lifting her up and off of the ground, Cloud solemnly headed to the hospital once again.

_Without you, I cannot fly…_

-- --

_Running, running… She was so close, but how was it that he could still not reach her retreating form? She was never able to maintain a pace faster than his own for an extended period of time, especially given her recent medical condition. _

"_Tifa!" he called, reaching his hand out as far as he could. _

_She heard him, he knew that. She ran anyway, though, her hollow footsteps filling up the vast space. Cloud continued to reach his hand out to her, screaming her name, screaming her name…_

_In his mind, he could hear her voice, just as sweet as it usually was. _

"_Welcome home, Cloud." As the words echoed in his mind, a second Tifa appeared on the far edge of his peripheral vision. He could not reach this one, either, and he knew that without even attempting to reach out. _

_The Tifa in the wall bit her lip, her cheeks burning. _

"_It's okay. You don't have to say anything, Cloud."_

_She dropped her gaze to the floor, obviously deeply hurt._

"_I mean…I've gone two years without hearing a peep from you, so I'm used to it…" _

_How Cloud longed to go back to that moment in time and change everything. Change every second of silence he made her endure, every night she slept alone, and every tear she ever cried over him. He felt worthless and undeserving of her attention. _

_Too bad he could never act that way in front of her. _

-- --

Tifa Lockheart opened her eyes, allowing her eyelids time to remove themselves from her upper cheek. She grunted at the effort, her chest and head pounding with every beat of her heart. Flinching at the sudden onslaught of whiteness, Tifa noted instantly that she was in the hospital room yet again.

With the ruffling of a sheer curtain, the same female doctor entered the room. She had a pen on the top of her ear, strands of hair surrounding it. She was reading her clipboard intently, obviously trying to avoid Tifa's gaze.

From the bandages around Tifa's elbow, one could tell that the female doctor had done blood work. From the solemn expression she carried on her face, one could also infer that she bore bad news.

Pulling the curtain shut once more, the doctor at last stared straight at Tifa.

"Mrs. Strife…"

"…Yes…?"

"I have some good news…and some not so good news."

Tifa remained quietly in place.

"The good news is…we understand your condition is. We may not know exactly what is causing it, but we can safely predict the outcome…"

-- --

_Tifa seemed even farther away than before, the extra illusion long gone. He chased her shadow, trying to step on her borders with his callused feet. Just as suddenly as he entered the strange setting, Cloud was thrust into a new area, one filled with grass and flowers. _

"_Tifa's…over here," Cloud heard a giant overhead voice announce. It was as if he was dreaming inside of himself, hearing his voice like the thundering of the skies above his head._

-- --

She paced around the room, nervous. A hand was placed underneath her chin, attempting to mask her frustration with a contemplative look.

"You see, Mrs. Strife…"

"Please, Miss. Tell me…what the outcome will be."

The doctor sighed, once again overwhelmed with regret about her job choice. Some things were just too hard to do.

"Mrs. Strife..."

-- --

_Completely out of control, Cloud's body stopped. His eyes were still looking around, taking in the beautiful scenery. In his mind, he thought of how great the place was and how much he would like to take Tifa there, just to see her reaction. _

_She was, after all, so alive…so full of excitement._

_Having fantasized enough about the prospect of taking Tifa to that place, Cloud lowered his head to the object implanted into the ground just in front of him. A grey stone protruded from the grass, flowers surrounding it like a halo to an angel's head. _

_Said stone boasted delicate carvings, marking out words Cloud could not even begin to believe. _

-- --

"You're…Mrs. Strife, you're…"

Tifa shook her head, her hands trembling against the sheets. The doctor's pensiveness was throwing off Tifa's own nerves.

"Whatever it is…I'm ready for it."

_She could never…never have been ready…_

The doctor exhaled dramatically, obviously young and not used to letting go. She dropped her clipboard to the floor, the metal clanking almost as loud as Tifa's pounding heart.

-- --

_Cloud sank down to his knees, bawling. _

"_I'm so sorry!" the booming voice shouted, his voice strained with tears. _

"_For what?" the dreaming Cloud thought to himself, as it truly was._

"_For everything," he boomed once more. _

-- --

Just as the metal touched the ground, the doctor could no longer stand the pressure of the words on her tongue.

"You're going to die!" she at last exclaimed, her eyes shut tight and her hands clenched so tightly that she could feel her short nails cutting into her palm.

Tifa froze, her tongue caught in her mouth.

She had saved the world. That wasn't supposed to happen.

Death…it wasn't at all glorious. She was a hero…a hero that would crumble to a mere disease? Impossible, right?

-- --

"_This tombstone…this grave…" Cloud's inner voice spoke quietly, grief sinking in. _

TIFA LOCKHEART

BELOVED FRIEND AND HERO.

_Cloud pounded a fist into the ground, using his other to rip out the grass around her grave. _

"_Why is everything so alive here…when she's so…she's so…"_

_A choked sob and a sniff. _

"…_dead…" _

-- --

"TIFA!"

And that was how he woke up, screaming her name as if his life depended on it.

…Or hers.

The brunette had just gotten out of her hospital room, pale and shaky. Cloud looked at her, his body tensed and ready to embrace her like he never had.

_She had saved the world… This wasn't supposed to happen. _

And now…who would save her?

_I thought it was natural to always be by your side._

_Back then, you loved me as I am, and I hurt you._

_"I won't let you go...I don't want to..."_

_Do they still reach you?_

_That time and those unchangable feelings..._

_--_

_Only the pain I feel tells me I'm alive._

_I'm so stupid._

_You held me when I was afraid of the dark._

_I won't forget that._

_--_

_I still remember the day we first met._

_You were staring at me as the wind quietly stirred your hair._

_I thought I could always be with you over anyone else._

_I thought if I was with you, even I could laugh.  
_

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! I'm actually really proud of the last section in this story, where Tifa finds out the bad news while Cloud dreams about something parallel to it. :D**

**Anyway, you guys deserve an explanation. Let me first forewarn you that this will be a long Author's Note. If you don't want to read it, then please just leave a review! **

**Okay…recently, my mom had a big surgery. In the beginning, we were told that she would have to be bedridden for two months straight. That sounds pretty serious already, right? Well, it turns out that the surgery didn't go quite as planned, and now she'll have to get yet ANOTHER surgery once she's well enough to go through it. Because of that, she'll be off her feet for an even longer amount of time:( So…we all have to help take care of her and ourselves. She's an amazing mom who would typically do all the housework, so we're having to really organize our time. It's hard for all of us, since we all work and/or go to school. **

**Please keep my mom in your thoughts and prayers. **

**On another note, today is a special day! IT'S MY 18TH BIRTHDAY! So, this is my birthday present from me to all of you, in honor of my own special day! Hope you guys had a great one!**

**(1) Mammary glands—know how women can produce milk? You can thank the mammary glands for that, to put it simply! Oh, and the cosine, sine, and tangent stuff is all trigonometry. You can thank my teacher for that. I hope you caught on to the joke! **

_Missing _by _Gackt _does _not _belong to me. Kudos to Gackt!

**Please review! I worked really hard on this one, using up hours on my birthday to write it! Hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!**

**Bianka-chan. 9/27/06. (Happy birthday to me:) **


	8. Harp Like Melody

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII. **

**A/N: So, last chapter was quite the deal-breaker for most readers, huh? I want to make you all think; there is a great big meaning behind this entire story. If you stick around, I'm sure you'll come out of it with a smile on your face, regardless of the _seemingly_ sad future this story will have:) Keep an open mind about the ending!**

**Okay...I have re-posted this chapter. I got a staggering 1,000+ hits in only a couple of hours after I updated. However, I got _six _reviews for it! So...I made a few changes and a proposal at the very end. To those of you who just want to hear about the proposal, just scroll down to the ending Author's Notes!  
**

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed with birthday wishes and hope for my mom. Every kind word for my mom really touched me. She's just gone through her second surgery, so she's still pretty much bed-ridden. We can't tell yet how things are going to go, so we're hoping for the best! Thanks again for the kind wishes. Oh, and my birthday was fantastic:D**

**And the reviews are up to 86! Close to 100 now! Thanks again for all of your continuous support!**

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Eight:**

Harp-Like Melody

**Bianka-chan**

_**"S**ay, Tifa...what do you want to be when you grow up?"_

_Tifa fidgeted around on her father's lap, nibbling at the ends of a cookie. _

_"A pianist."_

_"A pianist? I thought you wanted to be a martial arts teacher."_

_"Oh, oh, that, too! I want to be a martial arts teacher, too."_

_"...And what about your dream of owning your own restaurant?"_

_Tifa waved her arms about in the air, shoving the rest of the cookie in her mouth._

_"Papaaaa...I want to do that, too!" Crumbs flew everywhere with each syllable. _

_"Well, which, is it, Tifa?" he asked, humor in his tone. _

_Tifa nodded decidedly, absolutely confident in her answer. _

_"I'll be all three of them. I'll teach martial arts by day, and by night I'll perform piano at my own bar!"_

_Tifa's father laughed. The little girl normally found the noise to be gratifying, though not at that particular moment in time. _

_"Whaat?" she asked, her eyes glazing over. _

_"My baby...my beautiful little girl... You have so many dreams, and I'm so glad for that." He messed with her hair in an avuncular fashion. "Between all the fame and fortune, though, I want you to achieve one more dream..."_

_"What's that, Papa?"_

_"I want you...to live."_

-- --

Tifa woke up from her dreamlike flashback, her face soaked with tears. Just as soon as she regained consciousness, though, she collapsed back onto her bed, sobbing loudly into her sheets.

"Why!?" she screamed into her bed covers, her voice muffled. "I'm not ready yet! I'm not..."

The rest of her sentence was too much for her body to bear, so she put the remainder of her energy forth in weeping. Her muffled cries sounded pitiful against the thin walls.

Meanwhile, a spiky-haired blonde had his back against his bedroom wall, tilting an ear against the thin boundary between his and her room. He listened to her cry, his limbs limp with guilt and concern. She had cried at odd intervals of the night for the past week.

During the day, she was all smiles. She no longer picked at every little thing Cloud did wrong; instead, she would smile softly, staring into the distance. Sometimes Cloud thought that she had finally given up on him. It scared him to think so. Tifa had far too much patience to ever do such a thing...right?

_But patience is for those...who actually have the time to wait..._

As Tifa's weeping echoed louder, Cloud turned himself fully around to face the wall, softly placing a fist against it. He fell to the ground, closing his eyes tight. For the umpteenth time that week, Cloud fell asleep listening to her woe.

Tomorrow, though, would be another day. Another day for continued remorse and longing? Or, perhaps, a day of change within the reticent golden-haired warrior?

Only borrowed time can tell.

-- --

_Lub-dub._

_She turned her head and smiled, her silver earrings folding into her hair. _

_Lub-dub._

_He nearly smiled, taking in her own happiness. This happiness she emanated...he had caused it. _

_Lub-dub._

_But the wounds that needed to be healed before the happiness could emerge...he had caused that, too._

_Lub-dub._

_She tucked some hair behind her ear with a gloved hand, then outstretched her hand toward him. _

_Lub-dub._

_Instead of taking her hand, he looked at her choice of clothing. She wore a light blue formal gown. Its neck plunged, further accentuating her figure. He noticed that, too. She twirled for him then, her hair just a step behind her. Her mane returned to her shoulders seconds after she stopped spinning, curled tightly and boasting jewels._

_Lub-dub._

_Not bothering to wait for him to approach, she stepped toward him. Her smile grew wider with every step. Wanting to watch her glide across the room, he made no effort to move toward her. Smiling, his arms prepared themselves to receive her._

_Lub-dub._

**_Thunder._**

_And just like that, her expression contorted. She fell to the ground, her outstretched limb then clutching at her chest. Her mouth was open, gasping for air that would never enter her mouth. _

_Lub...dub..._

_The distance between them was quickly covered by her blonde date. He reached down tentatively to touch her, afraid that his mere caress could cause her to break. But just as his fingers were about to graze her skin, her body became transparent. _

_Lub... ...dub..._

_Panicking, he fell to his knees at her side. He tried to scoop her up into his arms, and his consistent failures brought tears to his eyes. Her own countenance was a pitiful sight, her features cringing in pain. _

_"Stay..." he croaked. "Stay with me...please!"_

_Lub... ...du..._

_"I can't...I can't lose you!" Those words he could never say...how they all seemed to pour out like blood from an open wound. He could only look down at her fading body as he tearfully announced his feelings._

_Lub... ...d..._

_Taking her hand from her breast, she reached out once more to her blonde companion. He reached forward, too, desperate to touch her skin--to feel her heart beating in her fingertips. _

_...But she was fading too fast. His eager hand hit the floor, empty._

_Lub... ..._

_"Please!" he sobbed, hardly able to make out her silhouette through his clouded eyes. "You mean...you mean everything to me...!"_

_Her hand hit the floor, too, along with her tears. _

_Lu... ..._

_Realizing her time had come, the brunette tilted her head upward and looked straight into his eyes. _

_"Y...ou're...too late..." she choked, her head dropping with the fading of her final syllable._

_L... ..._

_"No!" He shook his head wildly, his tears flying everywhere._

_**And then her heart stopped, erasing her faint form.**_

**-- --**

Cloud jerked his head upward, already feeling his neck cramp up from having slept in such a position.

His nightmares...they were also hovering over him. In his night's eye, he could only see misfortune falling upon his brunette roommate. He became afraid of closing his eyes, not wanting to see his eyelids reflecting Tifa's grave.

He just wanted to keep his eyes open for eternity, unblinking, and stare at her. The unspoken feelings would echo all around them. Nothing need be said, as their hearts would provide the melody to their final ballad.

That was how his mind thought, all by itself. He shook off the idea that his nightmares would come true. He was, after all, prone to depression and melancholy. And as he fell to the ground listening to her weeping once more, sleep claimed him as well, no matter how much he tried to fight it.

-- --

The morning sky's sun cast a blinding light throughout Tifa's room, illuminating her red and white sheets. A beautiful but drained brunette emerged from beneath the sheets, her hair a tousled mess.

_Another day...but why?_ Tifa wondered. _Why live longer...when you know it will only be ended soon?_

Her once wishful thoughts were reduced to musings such as these. Others lived their lives at the constant risk of dying. However, Tifa's guaranteed premature demise seemed to shut the book in her face. It killed all of her dreams and threw her into a depression even the quietly sad Tifa had never experienced before.

Before she could even change into her regular clothes, there was a knock at her door.

Tifa's heart froze. Only one person could possibly be knocking at her door...

"...T...Tifa...?"

And there it was, that harp-like melody that sang her name like the world's final lullaby.

"Yes?" Even though he couldn't see her, she instinctively hid under her covers once more as she spoke to him.

"Um... Can I come in?"

She shivered beneath her sheets as she answered with a timid, "yes."

Slowly he creaked open the door, walking inside of the room at equal pace. He spotted her as a lump under the covers, and he almost smiled at the sight. Approaching the bed with good humor, Cloud spoke as he neared her.

"Hmm...can't find Tifa anywhere. Guess I'll just have to sit--"

Right before Cloud's Gluteus maximus descended on top of Tifa's defenseless head, she jerked up and out of the covers. Noting her rather messy mane, Cloud leaned back and stared at her.

"I guess I'm a bad influence on you."

Tifa blushed, feeling foolish to be found in bed.

"Huh?"

"Your hair. It's looking more like mine every day."

Tifa gasped, having forgot about her unkempt bed hair. "Is it really that bad?" she breathed, holding a hand on top of her locks.

"What do you mean--'is it really that bad'? I compared it to my own hair!" Cloud tried to sound angry, but his face sang a different tune.

Trying to brush through her hair with her hand, Tifa looked away from his face for a moment, but she couldn't help but allow her eyes to slowly travel the room. "Hair shouldn't normally stand up like that... Oh!"

Cloud, still bearing a small grin, slowly looked down at himself. His mere smile faded just as soon as his eyes grew wider. "My shirt..."

"...What shirt?"

Cloud grabbed Tifa's covers and wrapped them around his body. In turn, Tifa squealed. Her own pajamas left her nearly as bare as he was. She reached out to steal her covers back, but Cloud did not budge. Tifa looked up at his face with pleading eyes. The blonde warrior softly dropped the covers over her body in defeat, but he swiftly began to walk around the corners of her bed before the sheets even landed on her.

So, in a few, brisk seconds Cloud and Tifa were laying beside each other, desperately trying to hide their practically naked bodies beneath Tifa's scarlet blanket. The brunette's eyes were wide and afraid, though she made no moves to run away from the situation. The blonde was quite startled by his own actions, and his eyes were also wide with wonder.

Due to his most recent dreams, though, his mind commanded him to speak to Tifa on more friendly terms. Just the thought of her being eternally gone from his life scared him more than any monster ever had.

But what could he say? What words could he utter to make everything wrong...become right? He couldn't fix his mistakes, but he couldn't continue making them, either. He couldn't give up like he had before. He couldn't...give up on her. But in what regard? Give up on her...how? Cloud's stomach churned as a blush spread across his face.

After all, he had never been quite this intimately close to Tifa, and their outfits were bordering on nakedness.

The two were quiet again, silently enjoying each other's company.

Blinking away his fears, Cloud turned his head so that Tifa was visible in the corner of his left eye. She was apparently doing the same thing, taking him in with only the edge of her right side of vision.

"...Teef'... Uh, Tifa...!" he quickly corrected himself, afraid that his tomato-like complexion would spread at the sound of her nickname.

The brunette looked up slightly, her mouth parting as her head turned. She was twiddling her fingers along the contours of her stomach.

"...Yes?"

Her timid response was just the spice to help him boil up the necessary amount of courage: "Why?"

Her eyebrow raised, further increasing her sight of him. "Why what?"

Cloud shook his head slowly. "Why...have you been crying lately?"

The martial artist gasped, forgetting her shy glances and turning her head entirely to her side. Opening and closing her mouth several times, Tifa looked down at Cloud's bare arms.

"I'm sorry. Did I keep you up?"

"Don't apologize. Just...tell me why."

"_Were you worried_?" she whispered.

Tifa had often fantasized about moments like these. She would be the damsel in dire distress, and Cloud would risk his life to rescue her through concern and love. Unfortunately, there were no heroes for her. There were no victory bells--just white flags waving pitifully through the air, staked into the desert that was her heart.

No one could save her anymore. But were things entirely left in the hands of Fate?

"Don't answer my questions with questions!" he earnestly pleaded, finding it hard to maintain a conversation for so long.

Tifa could feel that burning sensation in her throat once more. _Just tell me that you care about me...and then maybe these tears wouldn't fall so fast..._

To hide her watering eyes, Tifa turned onto her other shoulder. Cloud could only stare at her back.

"_...Are you mad_?" she whispered again, softer.

His shoulders dropped. "No...Never."

"Not even last week? When I said that about Aeris--"

"No." His answer was short.

She let a small chuckle emerge. Cloud nearly grinned to hear it. Tifa then sat up in bed, her back still to Cloud. He froze, taking in the sight of her in her tiny nightgown.

"I have to go and get ready to open the bar." She reached underneath her pillow and retrieved a big blue shirt. Tifa put it on over her clothes, abruptly reaching to her bottom drawer to retrieve little shorts right afterward. Putting those on, Tifa starting manipulating the straps of her nightgown beneath the shirt.

"Sorry I haven't given you your shirt back yet."

The brunette stood with the period of her sentence, causing her nightie to fall to the floor. Cloud was astonished beyond intelligible words for a moment.

"Um...it's okay..." he managed. Watching her as she began to walk out of the room, her clever scheme to tiptoe around his words at last dawned on him. "Hey, you never answered--!"

"I...realized that I couldn't fulfill a promise I made to someone I deeply loved," she interjected, one hand on the door and the other touching her bare thigh. "It meant...so much to him that I could do it, but I can't, and I'm ashamed."

_Why couldn't you show me that you cared before now...before _this ?

She turned her head to face him, allowing him to see her newly tear-stained cheeks and wet eyelashes.

"That's why I cry."

Tifa quietly exited the room, closing the door behind her. Cloud stared at the wooden door with mixed emotions.

"Who's...'_him_'?"

-- --

The blonde warrior threw the rag into the sink after he finished washing the dishes, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. For some reason beyond Cloud's own interpretations, she had decided to play the piano for her customers that day. He always knew she had a talent for music, but she hadn't played it in ages. And the songs she played were entirely new, somber melodies. Cloud briefly entertained the thought that the "_him_" from earlier was the one who inspired her sudden muse.

If only he knew.

Tifa stood up from the piano bench and slowly walked toward the couch in the living room attached to the bar. Seeing her travel that way, Cloud meekly followed suit. The two collapsed onto the living room set, sitting near enough to make each other nervous.

Noting their proximity, Tifa scooted away from him. She did not want to be near him; she did not want to create new memories with him that would only be thrown away soon afterward.

_Afterward_...what would happen once she...? How would Cloud take it? The thought almost made her laugh bitterly. He wouldn't care, she believed. She'd just be another loss that could only be a teardrop in the lake of agony Aeris' death left within him. Why should he care, anyway?

But she could not just leave without warning. Even though he might not care, she would be terribly hurt if her departing startled him into even the slightest depression.

**She had to say something. **

Meanwhile, her childhood friend couldn't stop replaying his nightmares in his head. This time, though, the sad requiems the barmaid had performed that night played in the background. Why couldn't he let them go? Why could he not shake the thought of Tifa being torn away?

**He had to say something.**

"Cl--"

"Tifa."

The brunette decided to back down, touched by the sound of his voice. Cloud inched closer toward her, his face pink.

"Um...Tifa...?"

Tifa's eyes shied away from his stare.

"Yes?" It was the third time she had meekly responded to him that way.

Inching closer... He slid closer...

"I...I just wanted to say..."

_It's too late, Cloud, _Tifa thought to herself. She both craved these words and feared them.

What could he have possibly said then that could have made her feel better? What could have erased those years of waiting for someone...that would come too late?

"...wanted to say...thank you."

It was too much for Tifa to swallow. She turned her body around, finally facing him completely. She reached her arms out, punching them against his hard chest.

"It's too late!" she sobbed, her voice a harsh whisper.

_"Y...ou're...too late..." she choked, her head dropping with the fading of her final syllable._

Cloud took her against him suddenly, embracing her for the first time, his hands resting on the small of her back. The force of the hug was intensified by the blonde's sudden remembrance of his nightmare. The brunette's face burned, her fingers straightening in surprise.

_Why **now**_

"It's never too late..." he murmured, staring down at Tifa's hair.

But maybe it was.

_I'd like to ask God for an extension on my life_

_So that I can always be with you_

_And love you all of my life. _

_-- --_

_But I am only a poor beggar, with God as my witness,_

_And on my knees, I pray_

_That your love be with me (even after the end). _

_-- --_

_I would never have imagined _

_That you would be made for me._

_Throughout my life you were the sun_

_That illuminated my life._

_-- --_

_Today I will make a promise to you,_

_And I will keep it._

_I will be a slave to your whim;_

_I only live now for you.  
_

* * *

**A/N: Lots more lyrics this time! Anywho, thank you VERY MUCH for reading this chapter! It's been a couple of months since my last update, so it's safe to say that I worked hard on this chapter. Do tell me if it was good:)**

**Thanks for being patient, too! I really had to help around with my mom and other such, so at least it was time well-spent. (In other words, I wasn't just being lazy this time! I'm making progress!)**

**NOTICE!**

**I've kept this to myself for quite some time, but there is actually a soundtrack to this fanfiction! To any of you who are interested in hearing the first track, "Always In My Heart," leave a review requesting to hear it! I'll give it to you through e-mail.  
**

_Promesa (Promise) _by _Alejandro Fernandez _does _not _belong to me. I translated the song from Spanish to English, possibly leaving some awkwardness in the phrasings. Though I changed some words to better suit the English language, I still credit Alejandro for having inspired me!

**Thanks again for reading! PLEASE REVIEW! I really want to break 100 with this chapter:D :D. Everyone who reviews gets a preview of chapter nine!! Anonymous reviewers, give me your e-mail so I can send it to you through there!**

**Have a fantastic day! 1/27/07.**

**Bianka-chan.**


	9. If I Lost You

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in affiliation with Final Fantasy VII.**

**A/N: Oh, wow! I've been at this site for quite a few years, (back when it was an ENTIRELY different site) and this is the very first time I've broken 100 reviews for one story! I'm SO, SO happy! I was worried and discouraged at first because hardly anyone had reviewed, but then I was pleasantly surprised a couple of days later. I mean, 108 reviews! Whee!**

**Anyway, in this chapter you'll notice that the story is taking somewhat of a different turn within the personalities of the characters. While one turns dark and hopeless, the other discovers what it's like to feel. Role reversal, you say? I'd say you're right :) **

**Thanks again for all of your continuous support! (I've written yet another long author's note at the bottom. Watch out for it!)**

_**"'I--uh...I bought it a while ago, actually. I'm kind of surprised that you didn't find it yet,' the blonde muttered, swaying lightly in his spot.**_

_**Tifa looked...into his eyes. 'A while ago...?'**_

_**Cloud nearly fell over at the realization that his words rang with a little more truth than he'd intended to share. He thought quickly to try and dust his tracks off once more."**_

Always In My Heart

**Chapter Nine:**

If I Lost You

**Bianka-chan.**

_**S**_now was falling. Solid crystal tears descended from the heavens, painting the earth's feet a pale white color. Children could be seen through open windows, playing with the powder of dreams and imagination. Their innocent laughter could bring tears to anyone's eyes.

Tifa Lockhart once played out there, frolicking in the snow. Her father used to tell her that the Planet's Christmas gift to her was hope—in the form of faded vanilla ice-cream that covered the grass and hid the roads. And got her out of school.

That year, though, Tifa could feel no burning sensation of hope in her heart. She could only think forward in time, imagining how the snow would melt shortly and be merely a memory of a particular time.

Though the world's people took advantage of the snow and reaped its benefits…it was only forgotten once sunshine poured down on the Planet and returned it to the earth. Needless to say, the brunette sympathized with the transient snow, thinking that her fate would be similar.

She placed a finger on the fogged glass window. She allowed her digit to slide down, marking the condensation with her touch.

Carefully, she lifted off, re-planted, and curved her finger against the glass.

Once she was done, she walked quietly away, leaving her hopes and dreams behind.

The glass window read, "_Good bye, Cloud," _to no one but an empty room.

-- --

The blonde had been out all day, leaving the brunette to dangerously ponder alone. By the time he finally returned, she was sitting on a barstool with her head down, her arms being used as curled pillows.

He loudly burst through the front door, causing Tifa's head to shoot up at the noise, her eyes widening. Before his face was a giant pine tree.

"Wh-what's that?" she stammered, the childhood memories coming back all too quickly.

"What does it look like?" His tone was light and unsure. He aimed to please, but he didn't know if he'd quite hit the mark.

-- --

_Little Tifa ran up and down the stairs of her house._

_"Christmas! It's Christmas! It's—" The little girl caught sight of a picture of her late mother, stopping her on the spot. _ "_Mama, it's Christmas…_"

_She looked down to the floor, hiding her eyes beneath a veil of brown hair. _

_"Was I a good girl this year?"_

_A sniff._

_"I wanted to send a letter to Santa, but I didn't remember his address. Will I still get presents?"_

_Young Tifa turned around with a jolt upon hearing the front door open. A smile of pure delight spread across her face._

_"Papa!" She looked around her father, crestfallen._ "_…What?_"

_Her father disregarded her question, instead trying to focus on distracting his daughter from his empty hands. "Hey, sweetheart—"_

_"Where's our tree?"_

_He looked away nervously. Mission failed. "Baby," he started, "we couldn't afford—" _

_"Mama saved up!" she screamed, her voice cracking with youthful strain. "We had a jar…a Christmas tree jar!"_

_Tifa's father had to deepen his voice slightly, though he so disliked speaking to her sternly. "Tifa, we had to use that money—"_

_"You took Mama's money!?" The little girl refused to allow her father to talk, the absence of her mother's presence and influence even more evident. _

_"Tifa." He had had enough. "I used it for her funeral!" Young Tifa had stopped talking by then, making his declaration echo even louder. _

_The little girl's sniffing increased. She shook her head as she wiped at her eyes with one arm. _

_"B-but she's still alive!" _

_With that, she fled from her home and into the snow. She ran with her head down, using her fists to wipe at her eyes. Just as suddenly as her escape from her house, she ran into someone else. She plopped down on the floor, her tears uncontrollable. _

_"I-I'm sorry!" cried the little boy she ran into. _

_His apology only made the tears fall faster. In a panic, the boy bent down to meet Tifa in the face. Feeling his presence near, she removed her arm from her eyes. _

_Brown met blue. The little boy recognized the brunette as Tifa and scooted backward, making his cheeks turn even more red than usual. Meanwhile, the brunette stared at him, her wet mouth slightly ajar. She knew who he was, but they had yet to make an impression on the other. At least…that's what she thought._

_"T…ifa?" he squeaked. _

_Tifa whimpered, suddenly remembering the happenings inside of her house that she tried so hard to escape. Having fallen in the yard of only the next door neighbor, she felt just as miserable as before. _

_"I'm…I'm really sorry. Are you hurt?"_

_The little girl wiped furiously at her eyes with the back of her hands, sniffling in an attempt to at least preserve some of her dignity. Her makeshift pride quickly dissolved when she saw her wide-eyed neighbor still beside her, concerned. _

_"…Christmas…" she started, only to be interrupted by her cracking voice._

_"Merry Christmas, Tifa," Cloud peeped. _

_Tifa shook her head wildly, shuddering as she felt herself hiccup. "No."_

_"No merry Christmas? Um…_not _a merry Christmas?" Inside, Tifa honestly felt he was trying so hard to be there for her. _

_"Christmas tree…" she sobbed. "I wanted…a Christmas tree."_

_She had taken her hands down from her face, finally able to look at him after she spoke. He winced at the attention, looking down into the snow for courage. _

_"Oh…" _

_All of a sudden, his head perked up and he grew a terribly big smile. _

_"Wait here! I'll be right back!"_

_And just like that, he was gone. Tifa looked up at his rapidly retreating form with big, curious eyes. Her tears no longer fell, and she noticed that their brief interaction had already made her feel better. She didn't know that Cloud boy well, but she didn't see why her Papa didn't let her play with him._

_The door burst back open, and a short blonde boy came running awkwardly out. As he reached her once more, he leaned down to catch his breath for a moment, a strange object jutting out from his closed right hand. _

_Cloud straightened himself once more and proudly extended an open hand to Tifa. She sat up very straight and peered at his limb. Inside of his tiny hand was a gingerbread cookie. The little girl reached out her own hand and carefully picked the cookie up. _

_"It's a Christmas tree. My mom made them today. We have a lot more at home, so please don't cry anymore."_

_Tifa looked up from the cookie to Cloud. He had a shy smile on his face now, holding his hands behind him expectantly. _

_She smiled back. _

-- --

Knowing that his kind gesture touched Tifa on a personal level, Cloud smugly walked towards the living room with the pine tree still in tow. Tifa could note quite the march in his step, though she supposed he could cop it off to the fact that he was, indeed, carrying a giant tree.

"Get me a bucket and fill it with water, would you?"

Nodding slightly without words or expression, Tifa otherwise remained as an unmoving object. Of course, Cloud's thoughtfulness brought back memories and helped patch up some old holes in her childhood, but she couldn't help questioning the point of it all. Her better judgment told her that new memories were better than bitter normality, but it was too hard to accept that. It seemed too much like absolutely accepting her fate.

Hearing Cloud grunt from the living room snapped her back to reality. She hurriedly retrieved a bucket from a cabinet beneath the sink and filled it halfway with water. Tifa waddled into the living room, holding the bucket on both sides. Placing it in a free corner of the room, Cloud at last sat the tree down inside of the bucket. Stepping back while dusting his hands off, Cloud sized up the new decoration.

"That looks good, doesn't it?" he asked, still shy and quiet.

Tifa stared at the Christmas tree, her eyes large and one hand over her heart. "Yeah...it really does." Shaking her head, she sighed, somewhat happily. "...Christmas..."

"Merry Christmas, Tifa."

Tifa managed to smile, recollecting the Christmas from twelve years before. "Merry Christmas, Cloud."

-- --

The grandfather clock struck midnight, its toll echoing through the quiet house. The tree stood in the corner, still bare and with no presents beneath it. Tifa didn't mind that she wouldn't be getting any presents for Christmas; after all, Cloud had been gone for two years and having him back was good enough...even if it wasn't for long.

She strolled into the kitchen, her arms wrapped around herself. Nibelheim winters were frosty, so a cup of coffee would do her well. Earlier, in spirit of their childhood memory, Tifa had baked gingerbread cookies. With nearly childish excitement, Tifa shrugged and decided that she may as well have cookies with her coffee. The two went hand in hand, after all.

Tifa took an aged pot from a cabinet and filled it up with water. But just as she put the pot on the stove to boil, Cloud stalked into the kitchen. The brunette was gathering the coffee beans, sugar, and her mug, when Cloud sneaked up behind her.

She jumped and nearly dropped her mug onto the ground, startled. Cloud expertly caught it before it was broken, but Tifa was still irritated.

"Yes?" she asked through clenched teeth. "Would you like some coffee?"

Instead of answering, Tifa was startled further when Cloud began to make his way between her and the stove, an already close fit. She backed up to prevent their bodies from brushing against one another's, though her roommate apparently would not have minded the contact. He turned off the heat from the stove.

"Cloud, I was going to make coffee at least for myself!" she said, exasperated, though still blushing from their near-encounter. "What are you doing?"

"It's Christmas, Tifa," he spoke, quiet but determined.

She cocked her head to the side, not quite amused. "Yes, I know."

Cloud reached both hands deep into a pocket on either side of his pants. Tifa, embarrassed by his newly casual manner, looked away.

"Merry Christmas, Tifa."

Her eyes closed, she wondered why on earth he had to turn off the stove just to say that. In an almost droning voice, she replied, "Merry Christmas, Cloud."

Opening her eyes once again, she returned her gaze to her roommate. She gasped at his outstretched hand. He appeared to be nervous and awkward once more, evidently holding a Christmas present in his hand.

Cloud handed the brunette a small box, placing it gingerly in her hand. He brushed his skin against hers, only to pull it back once he could feel the heat of their chemistry. She looked up and down from the box and her childhood crush, not believing her eyes. It _was _Christmas, so receiving a gift from Cloud wasn't entirely out of the question. But...the small velvet box led her mind to wonder a multitude of romantic gift ideas.

Still, it seemed unfair at the same time that he should be giving her a gift then, of all times. She'd been there for years before, yet when the sands of her life were just about to run on empty he chose to notice her...

"Thank you..." she started, her voice much softer than she'd intended, "but I--"

"But nothing..." It was Cloud's turn to look away from his childhood crush. He had more to say, but he was fighting against his tongue to speak them. "I..."

Tifa looked up from the velvet box for the first time since she began talking. Cloud's face was reddening, and he was scratching the back of his head in an attempt to calm himself down.

"I--I...don't need anything. Anything from you...if I lost it, I'd..."

_If I lost you..._

She leaned her head forward, yearning for his next words and fearing them at the same time.

_You would what?_

Cloud looked away, his sentence lingering.

"...be sad."

Tifa shook her head in disbelief. She realized the error of her recent ways and what it had done to him. In light of her questionable health, he had been trying to push himself to be more honest with her and his feelings. Having time and determination to discover his feelings, however, would only make it harder once she..

Deciding that she had lied for long enough, she convinced herself that the truth must finally be told. Truth be told, she was wondering who exactly she was trying to protect...herself or Cloud. She swallowed hard.

"Cloud--"

"Tifa...you haven't even opened it."

Nodding slowly, Tifa silently lifted the lid on the velvet box. Sitting snugly inside of a small pillow lived a golden ring, three diamonds perched on top of it. A pink heart-shaped diamond lied in the middle of two white diamonds.

The brunette stood still, absolutely speechless. She had never received a real piece of jewelry in her life. Everything she had was all she could afford. And it was a ring...coming from Cloud?

"Cl--Cloud...it's..." She couldn't seem to find her tongue yet, having been caught extremely off-guard.

"I--uh...I bought it a while ago, actually. I'm kind of surprised that you didn't find it yet," the blonde muttered, swaying lightly in his spot.

Tifa looked up from the ring and into his eyes. "A while ago...?"

Cloud nearly fell over at the realization that his words rang with a little more truth than he'd intended to share. He thought quickly to try and dust his tracks off once more. "Yeah, well, we're supposed to be...married, remember? I figured we ought to at least make it look credible."

She gingerly removed the ring from the box and held it up to the dim light from a lamp, watching it shine. "So...this is a wedding ring?"

From the corner of her eye, she watched Cloud's facial expression distort. He was in a state of extreme emotional constipation and couldn't seem to organize himself.

"Um...I guess so."

"Then I don't want to put it on."

Azure eyes shot open and looked up. He had to kick himself and put his best foot forward; otherwise, his efforts...and thousands of gil...would be wasted.

"Y-you're right. I'll...put it on you."

It had been a long time since the two held hands. Back when Tifa would get in trouble, he'd often have to grab her to try and save her, most notably the instance after Cloud was ejected from the LifeStream. The two were bashful and awkward around one another, so Cloud's insistence on grabbing Tifa's hand and sliding the ring onto her wedding finger made for a silent but sweet encounter.

Once he let go of her hand, a blushing Tifa once again raised the ring up to the light of the lamp. She marveled at the piece of jewelry, feeling her heart soar at what the ring represented. And the implication that Cloud had picked it out long before.

In front of her, Cloud fought back the urge to smile. He wondered why he never thought to buy her anything before. He had obviously missed out on a lot of Tifa by leaving her behind, but he was glad to be abandoning his reticence. Swallowing his apprehension, Cloud reached up and once again took Tifa by the hand.

Too shocked to resist, the blonde easily led Tifa into the living room and before the Christmas tree. Tifa felt his warmth in her fingertips. Though she knew that she should tell him the truth about her health, she didn't want to ruin the moment. She didn't want to let him in go. And, deep inside, she knew that he felt the same.

"I always imagined...having a great big Christmas tree, decorated with home-made ornaments and lined with popcorn or something," Cloud started, feeling Tifa's eyes concentrated on him. "I wanted...to have a family to do that with."

As Cloud's grip on her hand seemed to tighten, hers loosened in his. "A family?" she breathed, feeling an ache in her heart.

The blonde nodded. "Tifa...let's decorate the tree, okay?"

_A family... _

A family was something that Tifa had always wanted...but would never have.

Their hands still clasped together, Tifa looked over at Cloud. He had a shy smile on his face, his loose hand behind his head in an almost expectant fashion.

She smiled back.

_I don't know where or when _

_This sensation awoke within me. _

_Maybe in that little bar _

_In the city._

_--_

_Without wanting to, I fell in love _

_Upon your glance. _

_I was anchored to your touch, _

_Without even knowing it._

_--_

_A strange thing happened to me, _

_Empowering me._

_I was always a wreck, _

_Though I thought I was living. _

--

_Strange feeling, _

_My infatuation. _

_It came like fresh water, _

_To calm my intense thirst. _

--

_Strange feeling, _

_My infatuation. _

_Ever since you came into my life, _

_I've seen a light in my sky.  
_

* * *

**A/N: A lot of lyrics again! I dug pretty deep to find this one, and most of the lyrics were really appropriate. Hope you like it :).**

**(Long A/N ahead. If you don't want to read it, please review now :)**

**Wow! I'm SO sorry for taking so long to update once more! I actually went through a lot of drama involving a crazy ex-boyfriend, suicide threats, and the police. I'm perfectly fine, but that was awful and draining. I graduated high school, though! Wooo! ...I'm old.**

**I also had surgery. I'm MUCH better now that two weeks have passed (I was really drugged up until a week ago, haha). I still have four holes in my mouth, as I had all four wisdom teeth removed, and I have to flush them out pretty frequently. Then I can have crunchy stuff again! Hurrah!**

**As for my mom, this past surgery was A LOT more successful than her previous one. Thank you to _everyone _for keeping her in your heart, thoughts, and/or prayers. She'll be going in for her third surgery later this month, and I can only hope that everything goes well. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts!**

**I'm still working on the soundtrack for this story. I wrote out a fully orchestrated song for my FF8 story A Love Beyond The Twilight, and I've recently written out the melodies for two new tracks for this story. I'm awfully excited. :D**

**Oh, and everyone! Two or so months ago, I was introduced to an amazing Final Fantasy 7 forum called _Genesis Awards_. It's a great site that aims to improve this fandom's fanfiction through helpful advice and some pretty nice recognition. Please look at my profile and click the link I've provided. Join today! And say that Bianka invited you, would you:)  
**

_Extraño Sentimiento (Strange Feeling) _by _Ricardo Montaner _does _not _belong to me. I translated the song from Spanish to English, possibly leaving some awkwardness in the phrasings. Though I changed some words to better suit the English language, I still credit Ricardo for having inspired me!

**Thank you SO MUCH for reading! PLEASE REVIEW! Reviewers get a preview of chapter ten, though gimme some time to write some bits out :). **

**Have a wonderful day! And to my readers in America, happy Fourth of July! (7/4/07)**

**Bianka-chan.  
**


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